Kiss Me Goodnight
by Serenity Draco
Summary: Sequel to Tell Me a Story Past comes haunting as a familiar foe arises, while Kagome struggles to come to terms with her mates death and new life while also seeking answers to the past that she left behind. Part II of III  AKA Forget Me Not is a Rose
1. Probably Wouldn't Be This Way

"_I should have known you'd bring me heartache, almost lovers always do," _the dark haired girl sang to herself as she swept the stairs of her family shrine.

With a tired sigh she placed a hand on her aching back and looked out to the sunset. Her pregnancy was coming along beautifully, or so her koorime midwife told her. Her belly was now coming out to the point that she couldn't hide it under her clothing anymore and people were beginning to talk just as she knew they would. They didn't think she couldn't hear them in the supermarket shopping with her mother, but she did and typically she passed it off. Her mother would grow angry and try to say something to the gossiping women, but she would always stop her. It wasn't worth it after all.

Sitting down on the middle of the stairs she let her mind wander past the false accusations of harlotry until they eventually settled on the red haired Shuichi. She hadn't seen him in the month since she ran out on him after he confessed to being Youko's reincarnation or whatever. If she was being honest with herself, she was just scared of him. Leaning back on the stairs as she watched the passing traffic below her she began to hum a soft tune of a song she had found she could relate to.

"_I probably wouldn't be this way  
I probably wouldn't hurt so bad  
I never pictured every minute without you in it  
Oh You left so fast  
Sometimes I see you standing there  
Sometimes it's like I'm losing touch  
Sometimes I feel that I'm so lucky to have had the chance to love this much  
God gave me a moment's grace  
'Cause if I'd never seen your face  
I probably wouldn't be this way"_

She sang softly, closing her eyes thinking that she should be healing right now. After all she had just lost her mate, her husband, only a few months ago, yet here she was contemplating dating another man. Granted he, claimed to be Youko in human form, but that didn't seem to matter to her grieving heart. After all he didn't really seem to care about her all that much since he hadn't tried to see her since his apartment. The only thing he had done was send the adorable little ice maiden, Yukina, to help her through her demon pregnancy. She couldn't help but wish that she still had her adopted son here with her, but try as she might she couldn't find anything on him since being permanently relocated to her own era.

She didn't know if he was still alive either, after all, Youko had promised to care for him once she was gone, but he had been killed so she didn't really know what happened. Realizing with frustration, at that moment she had no other choice but to speak to the red headed man who had confused her this way. After all he was her only link to the past aside from the kit growing in her womb. Groaning as she forced her tired body to stand again, she headed back into her family home to change from her priestess uniform to something a bit less restricting. Thumbing through her closet once she was safely in her room again, she pulled out a long flowing shirt that reached her mid thigh and had an empire waist to accommodate her growing figure. Next she found a pair of black pants with wide legs that made her look as though she were wearing an elegant skirt. She then settled for a pair of comfortable black flats that slipped on easily before she pulled her hair up into a neat bun to keep it out of her face. Swiping her bangs to the side she realized dully that she was due for a trim seeing as they had grown down to reach her chin, but also thought that it could wait. She liked the way they framed her face when parted to the side like she had been doing.

Finally she grabbed her small black leather purse and headed back out of the house. Her mother didn't question her leaving, but she attributed that to the fact that she was already pregnant and there really wasn't much more she could get into, aside from random demon attacks. She had found that while living in the feudal era quite a few things had changed in the modern world. Demons were going public again, or at least they were slowly slipping back into her world. She could only roll her eyes at the three girls who had seemingly become an overnight sensation mostly because they had admitted they were demons, not that they lacked talent so much, though they weren't that great. Their poster hung on the wall by the bus stop as she waited for the 5 o'clock bus to pick her up. She knew she would have to take one more bus to get to the other side of town where Shuichi lived.

Not for the first time was she questioning her sanity today as she watched the bus roll to a stop in front of her. She stood slipping her big black sunglasses on and boarded once the doors swung open and sat down in the first available open seat she saw, which was just behind the driver. Thankful that the seat was completely vacant she scooted close to the window and watched with little to no interest at the city passing in front of her. She placed a comforting hand on her belly when she felt her child begin to flutter inside her as they lurched to the third stop. Mostly people had just boarded the bus and purposely avoided her, some even glaring at the pregnant unwed teen in the front seat. She rolled her eyes and moved back to looking out the window as the doors began to swing close.

"Wait!" she heard a boy call out. "I need a ride!"

She turned and saw that the driver was glaring down at a punk kid and still trying to shut the doors on him despite the boy attempting to get inside. She didn't know why but she wanted to help the poor kid so thinking quickly she let out a painful gasp and whimpered holding her middle as she almost doubled over. Just as she knew would happen the driver spun in his seat to look at her leaving the boy to open the doors and slip inside.

"What's wrong with you?" the driver demanded in such a way that it reminded her of her silver haired dog eared best friend.

"Ugh, just cramps," she sighed when the boy came up the steps.

The bus driver glared at both her and the boy that plopped himself beside her before turning around and pulling away. The black haired boy beside her only grinned arrogantly as he slouched in his seat. He looked like every other punk off the street with his slick backed black hair, tattered jeans, plain t-shirt and black jacket, but if she had learned anything in life it was that appearances weren't everything. So pushing her glasses back up on her nose she continued where she had left off day dreaming out the window listlessly.

"Thanks," the boy whispered leaning over to her with a grin.

"For what? Having pregnancy cramps?" she replied looking sideways at him unimpressed.

"Sure, yeah that," he chuckled slouching in his seat again. "So what's a pretty girl like you doing on this side of town?"

"I'm going to a friends," she answered simply, absentmindedly rubbing circles on her belly as her kit moved more frantically. Worriedly she realized something wasn't right and without her powers she wouldn't be able to easily figure it out.

Behind him a dark man coughed loudly, turning his head into his collar for a moment causing her to turn her head towards him concernedly.

"Oh really?" the boy nodded. "Me too, you catching the 355 at the next stop?"

Startled she could only nod, "Yes, but I don't believe that's really any of your concern."

"Easy with the hostility there killer," he chucked pushing his hands into his pockets. "I was just makin' conversation."

The man behind them coughed again a long rough cough into his collar again. This time she didn't look at him but sank into her seat hoping that she wouldn't catch that horrible sounding cough. She could only wonder what it would do for her pregnancy. Beside her the boy sighed loudly and glared over his shoulder at the dark man under his hat and trench coat. She gasped painfully this time for real as a pain exploded from her womb and though she was completely human, even she could feel the demon energy within her spike. This time the driver only glanced her way while it seemed the boy beside her went on full alert. He once again leaned close to her but he was glancing discreetly around them.

"Wow, you're kid must be pretty _special_, huh?" he asked suggestively. "He's already causing you a lot of grief."

She grimaced panting slightly from the pain, "You could say that, but you seem pretty _special_ yourself."

"Yeah, I get that a lot," he muttered back sitting back in his seat slowly. "When we reach the next stop stay close."

"Why should I trust you?" she whispered still holding her belly as the pain rippled through her, not liking at all the look the driver was giving her.

"I'm friends with that sunny kid you're going to see," he replied giving her a hard look and taking her smaller hand into his rough calloused ones.

With wide eyes she nodded and slowly the bus pulled to the stop. He pulled her up with him, wrapping a strong arm around her waist helping her down the stairs and onto the cracked sidewalk. The coughing man behind them followed coughing loudly again bending over on the sidewalk as though he were hacking up something. The boy quickly moved them down the street and away from the stop leaving the man behind. She was thankful she had him holding onto her because at that moment her world began to spin causing her to stumble while another painful release of energy came from her frantic child. With a frustrated growl he led her into an empty alley way before sitting her down gently.

"Something's not right," she gasped clutching his arms for dear life when he moved away from her.

"I know," he replied with a growl. "That bastard's still following us."

"What?" she chocked out looking to the entrance of the alley to see the dark man standing there importantly.

"Leave her the hell alone, dick weed," the boy called pulling himself from her grasp gently.

"Or what, detective?" the gravely voice responded. "You'll kill me?" he laughed.

"You're damn right," he smirked cracking his knuckles happily.

The man laughed harder, "You kill me and then she'll never be released from the spell I put her under. The spell that was meant for you."

"Who the hell are you people?" Kagome gasped out pain exploding inside her again.

"Well that's where you fucked up then, ass wipe," the boy said angrily taking a step towards the dark figure. "I'll kick your ass so bad you'll wish you hadn't been born."

"I'm so scared. Look, I might even just piss myself in front of the all mighty ex-spirit detective Yusuke Urameshi," the gravelly voice laughed tossing his head back. "Don't you think I already know that this was a potential suicide mission?"

"Keep talking," Yusuke commanded taking another step towards the trench coated man.

"You'll find out everything soon enough, detective, but beware when the past comes to haunt you and all of your friends as a common enemy rises to meet you once more for lunch."

With that said the demon disappeared, falling into a portal that closed just as quickly as it had opened underneath him. Yusuke cursed rushing in vain to catch him, but a cry from the girl still on the ground that he had left behind had him rushing back to kneel in front of her. Using his senses he could tell that the spell was attempting to close in on the girls core of unique energy, but it was her demon child that was fighting against it. Grumbling more curses he scooped her up in his arms, surprised at how tiny she was under all her baggy clothing, before rushing towards Kurama's apartment. He knew that if he ran the whole way he could be there in just a few minutes and he could only pray that the kitsune avatar knew how to break this otherwise someone was going to be feeling mother nature's wrath in more way than one.

* * *

Yeah okay, I got a new playlist. Go me! Inspiration abounds! I can honestly tell you that I have no clue where this story is going to lead me, but it's going somewhere! I do have an idea for the third part already and I have this sequel pretty much completely written, but I'll be posting it over the next few days rather than all at once so I can carefully proof each chapter. I don't want another missing piece like in Tell Me a Story. That was rather embarrassing if I do say so myself.

A special thanks to Foxluna and BoxingBunny who (in combination with Leeann Rhymes) prompted me to write more. This one's for you guys! Hopefully by the end here you'll have all of your questions answered, Foxluna!


	2. Lightning Crashes

"Yusuke, what a plea- wha- Kagome?!" Kurama greeted stepping outside his door when he felt the familiar energy spike rushing towards the stairs to his second floor apartment.

"Attacked, big trouble," Yusuke panted taking the stairs two at a time, still sprinting. "Woman, heavier than she looks."

Kurama growled as his eyes flashed gold meeting the exhausted half demon halfway down the stairs. Quickly he pulled the frail woman into his own arms noticing that she was panting in struggled gasps almost as much as the winded Yusuke who followed him back into his apartment. He rested her with one arm on his small dining table while he pushed everything else off of it onto the floor with his other before he laid her down so he could figure out what was happening.

"Call Yukina," he commanded sharply looking his mate over for outward injuries. "Tell me what happened from start to finish."

"Where's your damn phone?" Yusuke grumbled looking around the room still catching his breath. "I had just closed up the ramen shack for the day, and was headed over here to talk to you about some things so I decided to catch the bus. Here's the little fucker!" he exclaimed as he found the cordless hand held phone on the coffee table. "Well anyway the driver was a real douche so she distracted him faking some pain or other," he continued as he walked back over to the table dialing the Kuwabara's number as he went. "I got on and recognized her, well your kid anyway, so I sat beside her and we chatted for a bit while this creepy asshole sat behind us and coughed a lot. Next thing I know she's doubled over again only this time with the real deal and your kit is freaking out sending out waves of energy to protect her. That's when I realized she was cursed so we got off at the- Hello? Yukina?"

Kagome screamed painfully as she arched her back off the table her hands grasping Kurama's arms as he moved to restrain her squirming form from falling off the table. She was cold, as though she had been soaking in an ice bath, but she wasn't sweating therefore not wet.

"Yeah, it's Kagome, she's in trouble, can you meet us at the temple?" Yusuke said urgently, stepping away from the table to hear the soft spoken koorime's response. "Get there any way you can, but you got to hurry, their not doing well."

"Kagome," Kurama called to the struggling woman. "Kagome, listen to me, you're going to be okay, but I need you to tell me where does it hurt?"

"Everywhere!" she cried as another wave of energy from her kit ripped through her. "The baby! Something's wrong with the baby!"

"You're human now, your body isn't meant to handle the spiritual pressure from our kit," Kurama answered taking her small hand into his own as he moved her bangs from her face. "Where else?"

"My, my chest," she stammered her eyes squeezing shut as she tried her best to feel past the overwhelming sensations throughout her body to pin point the major points. Groaning she realized why she was in so much pain at once, "My chakra points, it's closing my connection to the web!"

"A severance curse then," Kurama muttered to himself, before looking back up at Yusuke who had already called Botan for help. "They're trying to cut her life energy off."

"The web?" Yusuke wondered out loud. "Botan's on her way with a portal."

"I'll explain later," Kurama responded not missing a beat as Kagome screamed again biting her lip and bolting up into his arms.

She buried her face into his shoulder attempting to help quiet herself, but it was a poor attempt as tears began trialing down her cheeks. She could feel her own sealed power in her chest fighting to be released but since she had chose Kurama over her gifts she hadn't been able to pull them to the surface. She supposed it was a good thing as her powers would probably attempt to hurt her kit, but right now she was in so much pain she just wanted it all to stop. Behind her at the patio doors she heard a small popping noise as she took a few wheezing breaths, wrapping her arms around the red heads neck. She could only groan painfully as he gathered her into his arms carrying her to the temple, which she assumed meant her own home with her mother. Childishly, the thought of her mother being with her soon made her feel slightly better if only in her mind and thankfully it was the last thought as her world dimmed and went black.

Kurama stiffened when he felt her go limp in his arms almost as soon as he stepped onto the other side of the portal. Cursing inwardly he rushed up the porch steps as Yukina fell into step beside him holding her wrist to check her pulse against the watch she had tied to the underside of her wrist.

"Her pulse is dropping, have you been able to tell what kind of spell this is?" she asked running ahead of him slightly to open the door to the room she had already made up for when the boys would come out to train.

"It's a curse actually," Kurama replied his cool calm exterior showing nothing of his inner panic. "A severance curse to be exact, her chakra points are being attacked and her core severed from the web."

"Oh dear," Yukina replied with a shake of her head. "I'm not quite sure how to remove something like that."

"I need you to try," Kurama responded setting her back down on the matress of the only western bed in the entire temple. "She'll die otherwise and I refuse to loose her again."

Yukina looked up from her charge and for the first time Kurama was showing visible signs that internally something wasn't right. Sitting on the bed next to his mate he held her pale hand in his own visibly shaking one as his emerald eyes watched her pensive face as a weakening burst of energy was given from his kit to save its mother. Shaking her head once more she placed her hands one over the other in the center of Kagome's chest and began feeding her core her own cool energy.

"I can keep her alive but not for long, you're going to have to find Mister Hiei," she said softly as Kagome began to glow a faint, icy blue color with Yukina's power. "With the Jagan he'll be able to remove the curse."

"I'm on it," Yusuke stated from the doorway he and Botan were watching from tensely.

"Hurry Yusuke!" Yukina called worriedly over her shoulder.

"How long does she have?" Kurama asked his voice sounding forced and near breaking.

"At this rate, maybe two hours," Yukina responded, moving on the bed into a more comfortable position.

He cleared his throat thickly before speaking again, "And the kit?"

"I don't know," she answered softly, warm tears filling her eyes quickly. "Its a strong kit to protect its mother like it has so that's good sign at least."

Kurama nodded smiling lightly at her attempt to cheer him. He wouldn't, no he wasn't going to lose her again. Not like this especially, he had just found her again and though she was mad at him, he knew that she just needed space. That's why he didn't come after her again after his proposal. She was pregnant with his kit and he intended on taking care of her the right way in both her terms and his. He wasn't sure how his mother was going to handle that, but he was sure she would be accepting either way. Perhaps he would stick with the same story Kagome had told him, after all sex before marriage was a common practice these days and he knew his kit wouldn't look like his human form in the least. Perhaps also this was a good time to tell her the truth.

He shook his head, now wasn't the time to be thinking such things, not while Kagome was fighting for her life beside him. He took one hand from hers and almost hesitantly placed it on her swollen abdomen. Under his hand he felt the energy of his kit rise weakly to greet him and affectionately he reached out with a tendril of his own energy to reassure the growing child. Almost at once the child seemed to quiet, and Kagome relaxed more in her pain induced slumber now that the demonic energy of their half demon child wasn't assaulting her body as well.

Behind them, because of their sensitive hearing they heard the soft opening and shutting of the front doors and the soft patter of bare feet on the hardwood, approaching the bedroom. A moment later the younger Kuwabara had poked his head inside the room, before stepping inside fully. He walked over to the bed where Kagome lay, her breath still coming in and out in short wheezing gasps.

"Wow, for being your 500 year old mate she looks to be about my age," Kuwabara commented pushing his hands into the pockets of his jeans.

"She's not 500 years old, Kazuma," Yukina replied with a small giggle. "They met 500 years ago, but she's only 20 years old."

"She's what?" Kurama asked with shock.

Yukina looked at him strangely as though he had grown and extra head or two, "You didn't know how old she was?"

"No, she never told me and back then I didn't think to ask because she was mature and at a good child bearing age if not a little older than most other human mothers."

"Dude! How old was she when you two got together?" Kuwabara asked curiously.

"I suppose she would have been about 18, then," Kurama replied thoughtfully. "She always seemed so much more mature than that and she was already raising an orphaned kit on her own which is a feat unto itself for a human, let alone a priestess."

"Why?" Kuwabara questioned again, taking a seat by the door on a straight back wooden chair which was the only other real piece of furniture in the room beside the upright wood cabinet filled with various medical supplies.

"Kits are more energetic than most children, especially human children, and like most foxes they love to play tricks, though admittedly most their mischievousness is juvenile at best to begin with it is still a very stressful endeavor to raise one which is why demon foxes generally have one at a time, though there is the occasional set of twins," Kurama explained never taking his eyes off his mate beside him. "Being a priestess and raising a demon child is normally reason for social exilation, but Kagome did raise her son openly as well as keeping up with her duties as priestess for her village."

"So how'd she end up here and if she's a priestess why can't she use her own energy to help herself?" Kuwabara asked further.

"She's not a priestess any more," Kurama replied gravely. "When a priestess gives herself to a man she loses her more than just her virginity she loses her powers too. Kagome was the keeper of a sacred jewel known as the Shikon no Tama, and when we destroyed the jewel 500 years ago she

was forced back into her own time, the modern era that we live in today. Before she had been living in the past because of an accident that is her own story to tell."

"Wow, she could have like changed things because she knew so much about the future! You know investment and what not," Kuwabara said with amazement looking at the frail woman on the bed.

Kurama chuckled, "She couldn't have done investments, but she did change quite a few things that we know of today, such as better sanitation and hygiene as well as a few other things that Japan is now proud of."

"Kurama," Yukina began uncertainly, "you do know that-"

She was cut off by a banging at the door. It seemed Yusuke had returned finally, and hopefully he had the short jaganashi with him. Surprising enough Hiei was the first to reach the door and the look on his face said that he was not pleased.

"Mister Hiei, please help me," Yukina asked pleadingly setting her big innocent eyes on her half brother. Though she didn't know the family bond they had she did know that puppy eyes (as Shizuru had told her they were called) work on almost every male she had come across. "I don't know what to do!"

Unless you knew the normally emotionless man you wouldn't be able to notice the very slight dip of his shoulders or the slight flair of his nostrils as he exhaled with an inaudible sigh. Walking towards the tense fox he commanded the man to move with a flick of a wrist which Kurama obliged however reluctantly. With a frown and a glare Hiei reached out wordlessly and it seemed that the entire room waited on baited breath while he removed his bandanna with the other hand that wasn't resting on Kagome's pale forehead. She cried out in her sleep and Kurama almost jumped to her side again, but somehow Yusuke who had unknowingly to him moved to his side restrained him. Hiei let out a grunt as his muscles tensed for a moment and she cried out one last time before finally the room was silent.


	3. You Were Meant for Me

"I can't believe this is happening," Yusuke said quietly. "I mean he just found her and now this."

"I know, but they say everything happens for a reason," Yukina replied patting him on the back in a soothing way. "You can predict that things like this would ever happen."

"But it's my fault!" Yusuke growled. "That spell was meant for me!"

Yukina sighed and stood back up walked away leaving the grieving man to wallow by himself. Stopping just as she was about to step back into the temple she turned and looked at him sitting tensely bathed in the orange light of the setting sun.

"You can't change the thoughts or actions of other people, but you can change the thoughts and actions of yourself. If you feel that you failed because of what someone else did then you're a fool," she said quietly.

Inside Kurama hadn't left the room of his once mate let alone her bedside. He sat next to her body contemplating where to go from here. When he was Youko, she had slowly became a huge part of his life. His reason for living as long as he did. His reason to change though most of his changing was done through the help of his mother in this life was he really ready to commit to her still. Time had changed him and he wasn't the emotionless vindictive fox he had once been. He hadn't went to her side when he knew he should have because not only did she need her space he needed his.

He had every intention of following through on his proposal one way or another however he hadn't expected it so soon. He could feel Youko inside him telling him to screw everything and take her, but he as Shuichi, was unsure. One would think that a near death experience of that of someone you loved deeply would be enough to stop all doubt, but he was still relatively young for a human and had wanted so many things for himself before he settled down with her. What was worse to him was that she was pregnant, with his child. Of course he could pass it off and pretend it wasn't his because after all it wasn't going to look like him in his human form, but he would know and she would know and also all of his friends would know. To him that sort of deceit was the worst. She didn't deserve that, nor did the child.

She mumbled his name in her sleep as she turned towards him. He smiled remembering that she never could sleep on her back very well. In fact, most of the time she slept on her tummy, but with the round bump that was their growing child, she wasn't going to be able to for a while. A child... the thought still amazed him. He wasn't ready for fatherhood, but inside Youko was railing that it didn't matter and in truth it didn't. He was Youko just as much as Youko was himself and though they were two distinct personalities set within a body they were still one being. Brushing his thoughts aside he heard Kagome behind him stirring.

Slowly her eyes fluttered open her azure pools taking in her surroundings before settling her gaze on him quickly. She moved to look at him better sitting on the edge of her bed that wasn't really her own like she had expected. He seemed troubled to her, but he was smiling none the less at her as he held her hand.

"Good morning sleeping beauty," he greeted gently.

She glared up at him. She hadn't ever been a morning person either.

"How long have I been out?" she asked hoarsly, her voice still strained from her screaming earlier.

"A full twenty four hours," he replied. "A very scary twenty-four hours if I do say so myself."

"Really?" she asked removing her hand from his to rub her tired eyes. "Feels like longer," she smiled as she felt her baby begin to flutter inside her. "Glad to know the baby is fine."

"He was the one who protected you the most," Kurama admitted quietly looking back down at the floor.

"He?" she laughed. "What if he's really a she?"

Kurama shrugged, "I don't know, I just didn't like calling it an it so I decided that until we find out otherwise he is a he."

She laughed more, "Well, I think she's a she, so there!" with that she playfully stuck her tongue out at him.

"Sounds like someone had a good rest," Yukina said happily as she entered the room.

It was Kagome's turn to shrug as she pulled herself up into a sitting position stiffly, "After you've had at least three near death experiences you learn that they're not that big of a deal."

"Woah! Three? You've been almost dead more than once before?!" Kuwabara asked loudly from the doorway.

"When fighting evil personified it kind of comes with the territory," she answered with a smile.

"Good to see your smiling as well," Yukina commented as she worked to put a blood pressure cuff on her arm from the drawer.

"I didn't say that near death experiences didn't make you question a few things," Kagome laughed her voice raspy.

Yukina didn't answer while she carefully took Kagome's blood pressure. She had been taking classes at the local community college thanks to a mysterious grant from Koenma along with her forged insertion into human records. She figured if she was going to be living in the human world she might as well make something of herself as Shizuru would put it. In the past few years that she had been living with the Kuwabara's, Shizuru had taught her much. She could admit that she was still naive to most advances that people made on her, but she also was able to be more aware of her surroundings and could even defend herself somewhat if necessary. Shizuru had told her she would have to be more knowing if she was ever going to make it at college and Yukina was thankful that she had been so upfront.

"We're going to have to get you some warm tea to soothe that throat of yours," Yukina finally said removing her stethoscope and replacing it around her neck. "How do you feel?"

"Fine I suppose," Kagome replied uncertainly.

"Mind if I check on the baby then?" Yukina asked with a sweet smile.

"I would feel better if you would but I think she's fine," Kagome said pushing the blankets off of her and lifting up her shirt to expose her slightly rounded baby bump.

Kuwabara cleared his throat embarrassingly and turned away while Kurama looked with fascination as Yukina let her palms glow with her ice blue power before placing them on Kagome's exposed belly. She had found that she could use her healing powers to see what damage was done inside the body and therefore make more effective use of her energy through training during the time she had spent with Genkai before the elderly psychic had passed away, naturally this time.

"You're right, she's healthy as can be!" Yukina chirped removing her cold hands.

Kagome was quick to cover herself again not from modesty but from the fact that Yukina's powers were just of a cold nature, which to the once priestess seemed opposite of her warm personality. Kurama seemed to snap out of his thoughtful daze staring at Kagome's now covered belly when Yukina sat down on the bed opposite of him with Kagome between them.

"Kagome, Kurama told me that you have lost touch with your powers, is that right?" Yukina asked carefully.

Kagome nodded, "It always happens when a priestess abandons her duties and takes a husband, why?"

"Well because that's actually a common misconception," Yukina answered cautiously, unsure how the couple beside her would react. "I've been learning a lot over the past few years and I know that priestesses are priestesses because of their souls, not, their, um, marital status," she said blushing lightly at the end. "So what I'm trying to say is that if you're having impure thoughts that are tainting your soul then it's really only logical that your gifts would be locked away."

"So your saying that if I banish the bad thoughts from my mind then I'll have my powers back?" Kagome asked incredulously. "But isn't having sex impure?"

There was a snickering laugh from the door way as Kagome blushed realizing what she had just said, "Sex isn't wrong if it's with someone you love. It's an expression of your feelings, but if your just doing it to be doing it then it becomes wrong. I mean look at it this way, God created man and he created woman and then told them to procreate so obviously he created sex too."

"I've never thought of it like that," Kagome admitted thoughtfully, leaning back on the headboard. "It does make sense though, but if I get my powers back, won't it hurt the baby?"

Yukina smiled and shook her head, "That child is as much a part of you as it is Youko, so to say that she will be hurt by half of what she is really isn't sensible."

"So what kind of bad thoughts were you having that would cause you to lose your powers?" Kuwabara asked dumbly. "I guess they're probably really bad huh?"

Kagome glanced at Kurama at her side before placing her hand on her belly as her kit still fluttered inside her, "Thoughts of suicide mostly once I found out that Youko had died, but I found out I was pregnant and I couldn't go through with it. After that it was just thoughts of the past and a bunch of self loathing. I felt betrayed but at the same time I blamed myself."

"Kagome," Kurama began softly.

Knowingly, Yukina stood and looked toward her own potential mate. She gave him a stern look and together they exited the room leaving the estranged couple to sort out their issues together.

"I'm sorry," he said after the door was closed. "I made a mistake, a carefully calculated mistake but a mistake none the less."

"Youko, er, Shuich, ugh! Forget it! Whoever the hell you are you knew better! I told you what would happen!" Kagome fumed her voice not sounding as firm or as intimidating as she would have liked.

"I go by Kurama here," he said looking away from her to stare at the wood paneled wall. "I know and I was foolish, especially knowing it was a trap, but it was my reputation on the line and I felt as though I had no other choice."

"No other choice?" she attempted to yell, but it came out more like a squeak. "Kurama you've always had a choice! Didn't you listen to me at all?" she reached out grabbing his arm to look him in the eyes. "Are you really Youko in there?"

He looked at her surprised for a moment at her sudden questioning of his identity, "How else would I have known those intimate stories of our life?"

"I don't know but I've been tricked before and the way you've been acting towards me only serves to make me question you more!"

Kurama sighed and looked to the door just before it opened and Yukina stepped inside lightly carrying a warm cup of tea in her hand as well as a small prenatal vitamin on a little tray. She wordlessly set the tray on the small bedside table before she smiled and disappeared just a quietly as she had come. Kagome sighed as well and carefully took the cup into her hands happy note that it was just the perfect drinking temperature and the cup was still cool to the touch, thanks to Yukina no doubt. Leaning with elbows on his knees he entwined his hands together in front of him and moodily glared at the wall with a frown.

"This isn't easy for me either," he said finally causing her to eye him carefully. "Though you've been alone for a few uncertain months I've had to live just short of 500 years and a lot has happened."

Feeling foolish, Kagome let her gaze shift down to the cup in her lap, "I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking as usual."

"I always told you you were a basket case," he said looking at her over his shoulder with a sly smile.

"Thanks," she giggled, her voice slowly becoming less raspy as she sipped her tea. "So what happened to you?"

"There was a treasure that was stated to be impossible to reach even by me so of course I had to find out if it were true, but a bounty hunter was lying in wait for me. We fought and when I was about to physically die I forced my spirit out of my body and into a woman about to miscarry her recently deceased husbands child," he told her thoughtlessly. "At that time the Spirit World had swept in and segregated the humans from the demons and pushed us all into a separate realm. It was then that I lost touch with Shippo, what became of him after that I do not know. I searched for him, but nothing ever came up, however it is possible because he is somewhere here in the human realm."

"I wondered why I couldn't sense demons and then suddenly they were here," Kagome said thoughtfully. "I had just assumed though, that it was because I may have changed something in the past, or at least I had hoped I did," she sighed and took one last sip of the now half filled cup before setting it aside. "How in the three worlds am I supposed to find my son now?" she wondered aloud with frustration.

"I have connections with Spirit World that could possibly help you," Kurama suggested turning towards her finally.

"I would appreciate it, more than you could know," she said gratefully. "So where do we go from here?"

"Well, I'll have to get in touch with him and set up a meeting but-"

She cut him off with a laugh and a shake of her head, "No, no, I meant with us. What are you and I going to do?"

Kurama's face fell into his traditional emotionless mask as he looked at her coolly, "Where do you want to go?"

"Well, it's obvious that you're not ready to be with me now," she replied flatly looking back at him with a defiant raise of her eyebrow as though she were daring him to argue with her.

"I meant what I said," he replied. "I do intend on doing right by you, Kagome."

"Well that's all fine and dandy, but if your heart isn't in it then, don't bother. You'll just be wasting my time as well as yours," she shot back sinking into her pillow dejectedly.

"Then what is it you want?" he asked calmly as though they were discussing the weather which really only served to infuriate Kagome further.

"I want you to act like you care, dumb ass!" she half shouted. "Jeez, we're having a serious conversation here and you're acting like we're discussing the weather and whether or not it's a good day for a picnic!"

"Kagome, please calm down," Kurama asked keeping his tone the same.

"Ugh, forget it! We can work something out about the baby but it's obvious that you don't want me anymore," she growled folding her arms over her chest.

"Why do you keep saying that?" he demanded. "Did I not just tell you I would marry you? I'm offering to take care of you and our kit but you act as though I'm still dead. Is it you would prefer it that way?"

"How dare you?!" she hissed. "You-Shu-damn it! Dick head, I can tell by the look on your face and your body language alone today that you're acting more out of obligation than free will, so you tell me? What do you want?" she took a deep breath and let it out slowly holding up her hand to stop him when he opened his mouth to speak. "I'm not stupid, it's been a long time for you since we were together and over that amount of time people do change, so don't think that I'm sitting here asking you to marry me tomorrow because I found you and everything is supposed to be hunky dory. All I really want to know is if we're at least going to try because if not then please tell me now and don't act like you still love me as though 500 years hasn't passed."

"Kagome, I would like to try again," he protested. "I just... It's different being human and demon all at the same time. I feel and react to things differently than what I did as a demon with you."

"I understand that," she said sympathetic. "So what do we do? Do we just take things slow or jump head first?"

"I doubt either of us really wants to jump head first into anything when there is a child involved between us," he admitted. "Perhaps it would be better for the both of us if we took things slowly and got to know one another again."

Inside he was thankful for her understanding nature. He wasn't going to admit that he was unsure, but he was willing to share some of the blame for their now strained relationship. Now the only other issue to address was the parentage of their child. That was a subject he wasn't willing to delve into at the moment.

"I do still love you, you know that right?" he asked quietly taking her hand into his and looking into her shimmering blue eyes.

Tearfully she replied with a smile, "I love you too, forever and always, just like I promised. Whether we're together or not."


	4. Everything You Want

She slowly breathed a sigh of relief as she sat back admiring her handiwork in her bedroom. She had been able to finally earn enough money with her daily shrine work to buy herself all new furniture for her room and to even repaint it. She choose a more gender neutral color of a subdued sage green with highlights of gold and creamy whites, sorely reminding her of her still missing son, Shippo. Spirit World had told her that they were looking into finding him for her but she hadn't still given up looking for herself hoping that she would be able to find him. She wanted to show him all the things she was doing for his little brother or sister.

The trimming on the walls was an off white as were her freshly painted doors of both the bedroom itself and the closets. She had gotten rid of her desk completely and in its place was a crib of warm light oak wood with a cute green and ivory bedding set that was decorated in gold dragon flies and abstract swirls. She had also carefully picked out a white fox stuffed animal and set it inside the crib in a corner. Kurama had been amused when he'd seen that. Together they had picked out her tall queen sized bed in a matching oak. She had originally wanted to get another twin but as he had pointed out, if she got the queen that had the built in dressers underneath then she wouldn't have to worry about fitting both her own dresser and the baby's in the already small room. The baby's dresser she had picked out matched the crib and had the changing table on top as well so that helped quite a bit with the room her bed now took up.

With his help in the time that he had begun spending with her over the past month she had been able to also reorganize her closet and change the sliding doors out for folding ones. Shelves for extra baby things lined a fourth of the left hand side while four more drawers were built into the bottom for her shoes and other miscellaneous accessories. He had even built her a hidden compartment for her jewelery where the engagement ring he had given her now sat waiting until they were both ready to accept one another in their new lives. He was scared and she knew it, but mostly because he was still young for a human and likely thinking about things in a very human way. He would come around eventually, they both knew that, but it was a lot to take in at once especially considering, by what she had told him in the past he was supposed to of had ten more years before she would reappear. He had planned on being through college and having a steady well paying job as well as a home prepared for her first, but suddenly here she was and he just wasn't ready.

"So you're going out tonight?" Mrs. Higurashi asked from the open doorway as Kagome sat in her rocking chair by the window.

"Yeah, he wants me to meet his parents finally," Kagome replied looking at her mother with a smile. "I don't know why but I'm a little nervous."

"Don't worry you'll be fine!" her mother assured her. "Just be yourself and they'll love you!"

"Sure if they can see past my watermelon gut," Kagome snorted rubbing a hand on her now prominent belly.

"You worry too much, besides don't they know it's his?" Mrs. Higurashi asked folding one of the freshly washed receiving blankets from the small round basket at the foot of Kagome's bed.

"Not exactly," Kagome admitted hesitantly. "They don't even know he's a demon so it's not like he can suddenly be all like "Hi mom 500 years ago I made a baby with this woman because I'm a demon and now she's time traveled here and we're getting married!" It's just not practical and I wouldn't ask him to reveal his secret like that," she said doing her best deep impression of a guy as she imitated Kurama.

Mrs. Higurashi frowned and folded the blanket over the side of the crib, "So is it fair for his mother to not know she has a grandchild on the way?"

"Mama, it's complicated and our child will still be her grandchild because we do plan on getting back together eventually just not right now. We've both got a lot of emotions to sort through."

"Well, it is your decision, and I think you two are being very mature about the whole matter I just don't understand why this waiting thing," she sighed. "I want to know he's going to help you in taking care of my future grandchild."

"He will mama, he's almost out of college and has already gotten a job with his stepfather doing something or other for his company that pays nicely. We're supposed to be discussing things from there after dinner tonight before he brings me home," Kagome said, standing up carefully.

She was about to walk over to her closet when the baby gave a sharp kick to her bladder suddenly. She froze and grabbed onto the foot of the crib hoping that she wouldn't pee herself because of the cramped quarters that was her insides. Growling outwardly in frustration she stomped off to relieve herself, and returned only a few moments later to glare at her mother's amused and knowing expression.

"That's only going to get worse as the baby grows and pushes on you bladder more, you know that right?" Mrs. Higurashi reminded her gently.

"I know mama, I just wish I didn't feel like I'm going to pee myself every time I cough or sneeze and that's hopefully if she doesn't decide to play soccer with my internal organs, because I've almost come to doing it for real a few times when she did that outside," Kagome vented searching through her shrinking closet of what she could and couldn't wear any more.

"So do you think it's really going to be a girl?" Mrs. Higurashi asked hopefully.

"No, not really," Kagome replied pulling out a cute top but noticing it was too small she put it back. "I just say that to spite Kurama. I honestly don't know one way or the other, but he's got his heart set on a boy."

"Ah, so a son to carry on the line, then, right?" Mrs. Higurashi chuckled.

Kagome finally decided on her black skirt like pants and a deep blue cotton blouse with elbow length sleeves and an empire waist that was gathered just under breasts with silver embroidery of roses. She slid open her drawer and pulled out her flats before tossing them beside her rocking chair as she walked back to her bed dresser and pulled out a pair of knee high panty hose in a nude color. Her mother watched her fighting back giggles as Kagome struggled with her belly to bend over and put the hose on.

"Mama, it's not funny!" Kagome pouted pulling her first sock up. "I can't help it!"

"Are you sure you're not having twins?" Mrs. Higurashi suggested sitting down on the bed closer to Kagome.

"Well the ultrasounds we had at the hospital didn't show anything and Yukina hasn't said anything, so no I don't think so, I mean wouldn't I be able to tell at this point?" Kagome questioned pulling her second sock up.

"I suppose you're right, but you're already bigger than I was when I was pregnant with you and Souta so I just wondered," Mrs. Higurashi answered standing to leave.

"ACK! DEMON BE GONE!"

Both Higurashi women shared a dread filled look before quickly heading down the stairs hurriedly. Kagome hollered at her Grandfather to not attack visitors as the elderly man continued to rant at the front door. She slid to a stop on the hardwood floor a few paces behind her mother who had frozen in the opening hallway. She looked at her mother strangely before following the woman's shocked gaze. There on their front porch stood a gorgeous dark skinned man in cargo shorts and a deep blue polo, but it wasn't until Kagome looked into his fiery sky blue eyes that she recognized the man and startled she let out a gasp. He grinned flashing her a glimpse of his sharp, but pearly white K-9's.

"How's my woman doing?" he asked unfolding his hands from his still well defined chest.

"Kouga?" Kagome questioned in disbelief before taking an unsteady step towards him. "Kouga!"

She cried out and ran to him throwing herself haphazardly into his awaiting arms and he twirled her around as though she didn't weigh more than a feather. He barked out a laugh as he sat her back down on her feet in front of him and she embarrassingly reached up and pulled her grandfather's powerless sutra from his hair. She was sure that if his tail was showing it would be wagging.

"I can't believe you're here!" she said breathlessly, drinking in the sight of her friend from the past. "How did you find me? Where's Ginta and Hakkaku? What about anyone else? Oh! Ayame! Did you finally mate her?"

He laughed at her quick questioning, "Slow down I think you'll need to breath somewhere in there you know? The better question is what happened to you? Didn't your mother ever tell you that you're not supposed to eat the watermelon seeds?"

"Thanks as though I wasn't already self conscious enough, you jerk!" she pouted.

"I'm serious, did you and the fox work things out or what?" he smiled.

"You could say that," Kagome replied skirting the question. "You haven't seen Shippo have you? Youko lost touch with him when the worlds were separated."

At that his face fell into an almost mournful expression, "I don't have time to explain everything right now, I'm actually supposed to be meeting Ayame downtown in a few minutes. I really only stopped because I thought that was your scent all over the place up here. Why don't we meet for lunch or something sometime?"

"That would be great, we have so much to catch up on," Kagome replied slightly put off that he was avoiding answering any of her questions about her friends of the past. "Kurama is actually going to be coming to get me any time now, so I guess I really don't have much time either," she admitted trying to hide her disappointment.

"I had heard the fox didn't stay dead for long," he chuckled. "Make sure to tell him I said to take good care of my woman!"

She bid him goodbye walking him in her practically bare feet to the edge of the stairs where she noted that Kurama was just pulling up to the curb carefully in his compact red hybrid. He had explained to her that his parent helped him purchase the small environmental friendly vehicle because the University he attended was across town almost a half hour away from his home where he still lived with them at the time. He had protested it saying that he was going to be moving out soon and didn't have a need for it, but they had gotten him the little car anyway. He didn't get out until Kouga was out of her sight pretending to be busy looking for something in the car, but she knew better. He had never liked Kouga's callous and outgoing nature just like he didn't like that because she had spent so much time with Inuyasha during her time in the past she had acquired quite the potty mouth when angry enough.

She smiled when he walked up the stairs glaring after the out of sight wolf. He was dressed nicely as well so she didn't feel as overdressed as she feared she was. His normal jeans were changed out for a pair of black slacks and a maroon long sleeved button down shirt with small and plain gold cufflinks that matched his simple gold necklace that was around his neck loosely. He had left the top two buttons undone so that they showed not only his necklace but a small peep show of his defined chest.

"What did he want?" he asked stopping just a few steps below her.

"Ah nothing, just to see if that was really me he thought he smelled," she replied with a happy grin. "He wants to meet for lunch sometime."

"That sound interesting," he replied sounding like he was only half listening. "Are you ready to go he asked finally looking up at her.

"Sure just let me pull my hair back and slip on my shoes," she said before she turned and scampered back into the house.

He could help but smile after her as he followed, her family still waiting in the open doorway. Her mother looked concerned as she held back Kagome's grandfather from chasing after the wolf demon with useless sutra's while her brother seemed pretty indifferent to the whole scene so it would appear that Kouga hadn't tried anything with his mate. It seemed weird to call her that again, but slowly he was relearning his love for her. She was truly an irresistible character. She was kind and loving almost to a fault, but she had the backbone of a fierce warrior. She could cook and care for children, but yet she also knew when to cut loose and have fun, especially with him. She was pure and incorruptible, but at the same time, she had a wild and devious side that at times could set him on fire inside with want. In essence she was perfect, now the hard part was convincing his mind of that.

"Kurama, I had wanted to speak to you for a moment if you would?" Mrs. Higurashi asked quietly as soon as her daughter had slipped back upstairs.

"Of course," he nodded in reply as he allowed her to lead him to the small garden she had cultivated in their small backyard area.

"What are your intentions with my daughter?" she asked bluntly sitting herself on the small stone bench.

Kurama was taken by surprise for a moment. He hadn't expected her to be so forward, after all most humans weren't. They tended to skirt around the issue poking and prodding with questions that really had nothing to do with the subject at hand however would disarm their verbal opponent. She on the other hand was as straight and concise as most demons. She waited patiently for his reply giving him the hardened gaze of a mother on a mission. At that point he knew exactly where Kagome got most of her spirit from.

"My intention is to take care of what I have already started," he began, unconsciously taking a stance with one hand in his pocket and the other loosely at his side as though he were about to fight a particularly tough foe. "I apologize that when we first decided to become life mates we were unable to do things the proper way, by me asking your father in law for permission to take your eldest daughter as is custom, but as I'm sure you understand certain things prevented us from meeting until today."

"I understand," Mrs. Higurashi nodded accepting his apology.

"As for Kagome, I do intend to take her as my wife in this life, however, I would also like to be able to provide for her when I do so," he continued.

"How old are you?" she asked tilting her head to the side curiously. "Kagome tells me you're still in college?"

"Yes," he replied. "I'm graduating next month with my Bachelors in Business and Finance. I'm in reality close to three thousand years old, but as far as the human world is concerned, I'm 19."

"19 and graduating with a Bachelors, that is impressive," she smiled. "Although that does make you nearly two years younger than Kagome, is your mother going to be all right with that?"

"I think my mother will just be pleased I have a girlfriend."

Mrs. Higurashi laughed, "I can feel for her, sometimes I worry about Souta, but I know that he'll make a fine husband someday, however, what I am also concerned about is the baby. How is your mother going to feel that Kagome is pregnant with your baby?"

"She doesn't have to know, mother," Souta said leaning against the house.

Both Kurama and Mrs. Higurashi turned towards the teenage boy who had appreared so suddenly and quietly that neither of them noticed. Personally Kurama didn't know whether to be happy for the boy and his obvious discipline or ashamed of himself and lack thereof.

"Souta, I thought you were keeping an eye on Grandpa, you know how he gets when Kagome's friends come over," Mrs. Higurashi scolded.

"He's glued to the History channel, they had some special on toad demons and when I left they were talking about a famous toad demon named Jakken or something like that who followed some big dude around."

"I'm sure Sesshomaru would love to hear you refer to him as a dude," Kurama chuckled.

"Look I'm serious," Souta sighed. "Kagome has got enough trouble from strangers giving her the stink eye and she doesn't need your mother hating her right off the bat especially if you two are seriously tying the knot. So if I were you I would stick to the same story that she's been giving everyone since day one."

Kurama watched ponderously as Souta turned and walked back into the house. What had Kagome been telling everyone? Was it the same story she had told him before? Would she want to practically lie to his mother? He sighed and ran his hand through his hair. Tonight was going to be a disaster, he could feel it.

* * *

Right, well I had originally thought that I had most of this second part written but apparently it's going to be a bit longer that I had anticipated. Eh, oh well. I like where it's going and I hope y'all reading this does too. Loved the constructive feedback VirusYoukaiChild, and as always I appreciate the continued support Cosmic-lover! You're amazing!

I am going for a sense of reality instead of prince charming and sweeps the princess off her feet and everything is perfect, because that's not the way things go unless you live in a Walt Disney fair tale. In real life people struggle with emotions and love is work, not pure bliss 24-7. This is kind of why I'm pulling out their emotional trauma a bit because I don't think that Kurama is going to just suddenly be as much in love with her as when he first met her especially after all the things he had to go through to get to where and who he is today.

Also a few more characters are going to be showing up and the mystery of Shippo will be explained soon! Once again thanks for all the continued support, it has helped tremendously!

Oh and before I forget if you ever want the play list information to this story let me know. Each chapter is inspired by a different song which I use for the title and I know a lot of times it doesn't make sense unless you listen to the words, but hey my muse works in strange and frightening ways.


	5. Save Me From Myself

"So in front of your mother I call you Shuichi, right?" Kagome asked as they waited at a stop light after an uncomfortable silence.

"Right, and her new name is Mrs. Hatanaka," Kurama replied with a nod.

"Hatanaka, got it," she said committing the name to memory. "So how long have we been dating exactly?"

"What do you mean?" he asked glancing at her from the corner of his eye confused as he drove away from the now green light.

"Well we're obviously pretty serious if you're bringing me home to your mother, so how long according to her have we been dating and where did we meet?" she clarified.

"Two months ago, at your shrine when I was working on a project for my World Religions class," he replied simply. "I think it would be best if we kept as close to the truth as we can."

"So why haven't you just told her then?" she asked flatly.

"Because I," he paused and sighed. "I just don't know exactly how she would handle something like that."

"She probably already knows," Kagome responded rubbing her abused abdomen where the baby had just kicked her again.

"What would make you think that?" he questioned now looking at her strangely as they paused in traffic at yet another light.

She gave him a flat look as though he were an idiot, "She's your mother, and while she may not know what exactly is going on with you she knows something, I can promise you that."

"Perhaps it is just a female trait," he suggested pulling away and getting into the turning lane for the next stop light two blocks ahead of them. "Your mother seemed to know something more was going on between us this afternoon."

"Well I don't think we could get ourselves into much worse," Kagome snorted. "After all I am having your baby."

"That's what she wanted to talk to me about and something I think we need to address as well," he said catching the turn light just before it changed yellow.

"Well what is there to discuss, really?" she asked slightly reluctant.

_What if you and I don't work out? _

_ What if we've changed too much?_

Those were the questions they were avoiding but Kurama continued on nonetheless, "I was thinking that I'll need your help setting up a nursery at my apartment, but also I was tossing around the idea that perhaps we should find an apartment of our own."

Kagome snapped her head around to look at him, "Really?! Are you sure that you're ready for that?"

"Kagome it really isn't that big of a deal," he said looking over at dully. "My apartment has three rooms."

"Why so many? And how the hell can you afford an apartment that big?" she asked turning in her seat more towards him as they began to drift out of the busy part of the city into the more populated areas.

"I'm at university on a scholarship and I'm living off the money my mother and I had saved for college for the most part, however, on weekends I do go and help out at the company. I wanted such a big place for Hiei to have a place to stay whenever he came to visit."

"Hiei?" Kagome questioned mentally going through the list of his friends she had already met, but not able to match a name with a face. "Who's Hiei?"

"Hiei was my partner in crime for a brief period before we were both set on probation by the Spirit World. For a while he was forced to stay confined to this city so a lot of times he stayed with me at my mother's and when I got my own apartment I made sure wasn't going to be forced to sleep on the floor," Kurama explained making another turn down an even less busy street.

She nodded and studied the neighborhood they were in. It was nice and not nearly as far away from the shrine as his apartment. There were even children playing outside and she was thankful for such a lovely day. She couldn't help but wince as the baby moved and kicked an already bruised spot on her belly. She knew from her mothers worried expression every time she saw the large black and blue bruises that this wasn't normal for a human pregnancy, but every time she would remind her mother that her child wasn't exactly human either. At least that's what she hoped the problem was. She was planning on asking Yukina when she was supposed to see her later this week.

A few quiet moments later saw them parking in front of a small two story home with a little garden out front. Kagome couldn't help but smile picturing a little Shuichi playing in this yard as a child. She wondered if he acted as a normal child exploring everything or if he played with the other children down the lane. They got out of the car and because of it's low profile Kagome practically rolled out before pulling herself to her feet before Kurama even got to the other side of the car. He looked at her with a frown but she only shrugged. She had been a single mother before and she knew how to take care of herself without his help and that's exactly what she was used to. To change that now was going to take some work.

"Shuichi!" a woman called happily from the doorway. "Oh, goodness! It's so great to see you!"

"Hello mother," Kurama called back politely as he led Kagome behind him by her hand towards the smiling older woman.

Kagome swallowed and took a deep breath as they walked up the few steps of the walkway, using most of her concentration in just not tripping because it would simply be her luck for that to happen. Her eyes snapped up when she reached the top step to glance wide eyed at the back of Kurama's red head when he squeezed her hand in a small sign of reassurance. Perhaps he wasn't as ignorant to her feelings as she had thought.

"My, my, who's your friend, Shuichi?" Kurama's mother greeted with a warm smile studying the girl carefully.

"Oh, this is my girlfriend, Higurashi Kagome," Kurama introduced letting Kagome step forward and give the woman a polite bow from her waist which Shiori returned by inclining her head.

"Girlfriend?" Shiori asked perplexed. "You've never mentioned you had a girlfriend before."

"We've only been dating a few months," Kagome answered.

"I also didn't want to say anything to you until I knew it was going to be something serious," he added.

"Come inside, dears and don't be strangers," Shiori said sweetly with a shake of her head.

The two entered, Kurama's hand moving to the small of Kagome's back as he allowed her to enter the door first as Shiori held open the storm door. He gently led her into the kitchen where he normally had visits with his mother after he had put his light jacket on a hook behind the door while Shiori followed watching the two with a critical eye. It was safe to say she definitely suspected the worse and it didn't help matters that she was obviously older than he was.

"So how long have you two been together?" Shiori asked walking straight past them seating themselves at the table to the pot of warm tea she had sitting on the counter awaiting their arrival.

"Together? Two months," Kagome answered, "but we've known each other for longer."

"Really?" Shiori questioned interestingly setting the tea pot on the table before turning to get the cups down from the cabinet.

Kagome nodded with a smile, putting to use all of the mad lying skills she had acquired over the past few years to good use flawlessly, "Oh, yes we actually met just after I graduated high school."

"That's lovely," Shiori replied grabbing three gray mugs from her cabinet. "You know, I met Shuichi's father in high school, too."

"You never told me that, mother," Kurama commented his hand resting comfortably on Kagome's leg under the table.

"Well to be honest I don't think I ever really said much about your father after all," Shiori admitted.

"My mama was the same way, but I got to know my papa for at least a few years before he passed," Kagome commented softly as Shiori poured them all tea. "It's understandable, really, when you lose someone that close to you."

"Yes," Shiori agreed with a nod and a distant expression, sitting down at the table across from them. "Well, onto happier things, you're having a baby I can see! How far along are you?"

"Twenty-two weeks," Kagome answered and suddenly the mood in the room brightened considerably.

"Oh, you're halfway there!" Shiori smiled excitedly. "Do you know if it's a boy or a girl?"

"No, I want it to be a surprise," Kagome said taking a sip of her tea. "My mother swears by the way I'm acting compared to when she was pregnant with me that I must be having a girl."

"Well every pregnancy is different and my mother told me the same thing when I was pregnant with Shuichi," Shiori scoffed. "What do you think Shuichi?"

"To be honest I think he's a boy," Kurama smiled glancing happily at Kagome.

She was right things were going smoothly until his mother asked the next question, "So who's the father, if you don't mind me being so bold?"

Kagome laughed, "Honestly I expected you to ask sooner or later, but I'm afraid that my child belongs to my late fiance."

"Oh goodness! I'm terribly sorry to hear that!" Shiori apologized quickly. "What happened?"

"He was basically a treasure hunter and just before we were to get married he went on a trip and just never came home. I was told later that there had been an accident on one of the sights he was working on," Kagome answered sadly. "I'm still pretty upset over it, but Shuichi was there and helped me cope with a lot of things."

"I always knew you had a kind heart, Shuichi," Shiori said giving her son a proud look. "I hope you don't mind but tonight your stepfather insisted that I take a day off so he and Shu-chan went to pick up Mexican as a special treat."

"I don't mind at all," Kurama answered.

"Sounds amazing!" Kagome added.

"So exactly how serious are you two?" Shiori asked so bluntly that Kurama was positive it was a female trait meant just to keep men on guard constantly.

It apparently didn't phase Kagome as she was the one to nudge him into speaking under the table as she took a drink of her tea, "I've asked her to move in with me, mother."

"Oh, before marriage?" she questioned seriously. "Is your family all right with that?"

"Mama, is happy for me," Kagome said excitedly. "The way she looks at is there's not much other trouble I could get into at this point."

"I understand," Shiori laughed but by the way she glanced at Kurama he could tell that she really wasn't pleased with his choice in a possible life mate.

The rest of the evening went well, but Kurama found that his mind kept drifting. He wondered why it was that people seemed to have such a problem with Kagome. Yes she was pregnant, but wasn't that slowly becoming a normal occurrence today? For people to begin families at younger ages? Then again Kagome wasn't really that young. She was nearly two years his senior in human terms and it would be normal for her to have been engaged if not already married by her age. So why did people keep looking at him as though he were the victim in their relationship?

They hadn't gone out all that much because Kagome didn't like to, but he had made her go out one day just to pick up a gallon of milk that Mrs. Higurashi had forgotten. People had given her so many glares, though she ignored him and then looked at him sympathetically as though he were somehow being victimized by taking care of his own mate. His own mate.

That's when it clicked.

At that moment he realized as they were halfway through dinner exactly why he was so upset.

Kagome was his mate. The child growing within her womb was his child.

It was then he realized exactly what she was doing, for him. She was protecting him here, she was lying to save him from losing face in front of his family, lying to save him from the responsibility to legally care for her and the child, lying to allow him his own life here. For the rest of the evening he couldn't look at her the same. She was sacrificing herself and her own image for him so he could keep his. She laughed and joked with his family, but it was all fake. She wasn't really happy. She was never happy not since he had met her that day in the park. A part of her still longed for what she had with Youko. She had accepted him back then and he was almost positive she would come to accept him here too, but what was holding her back? Him.

After dinner they were all about to settle into the living room when Kagome excused herself to the restroom. Kurama was more than willing to show her the way but Shu-chan beat him to it. That was when his mother pounced. She asked him to step back into the kitchen for a word, and he knew that a good lecture was coming his way.

"Shuichi, what's really going on?" she asked timidly. "You're not really serious about this girl are you?"

"Yes mother I am," he said confidently.

"But honey, she's pregnant with another man's child," she protested. "Wouldn't you rather be with a woman who is more wholesome and clean?"

"Are you insulting Kagome's hygiene or her morals?" Kurama asked folding his arms over his chest and leaning against the table behind him.

"Shuichi, I just want the best for you and I just don't think that Kagome is what's best for you," Shiori finally said worriedly.

"Mother, I know what I'm doing, Kagome is a good woman and she makes me very happy and shouldn't me being happy coincide with what is best for me?" he shot back calmly.

"Well yes, but..." she trailed off unable to argue.

"If she were pregnant with my child would that be more pleasing to you?" he asked coolly.

"No, because you're not ready for children, Shuichi," she replied hotly. "You're only 19 and though I realize that you are very mature for your age and you always have been I just don't think that you understand what you're getting yourself into with a girl like that!"

"Like what mother?" he demanded his voice hardening. "Do you assume that she's some sort of harlot?"

"Not necessarily, but you shouldn't have to take responsibility for her mistakes, dearest," she said almost pleadingly. "How much does this woman mean to you? Are you really willing to take care of another man's baby?"

"Mother, I love her," he said simply and that was all it took for her face to fall.

She knew that she had lost the argument, but still she tried reaching out for his cold form in front of her, "Shuichi, I'm just worried about you."

"I understand and to be quite honest I expected this from the start," he said with a soft sigh. "I know that you have my best interests at heart and you man not understand everything right now, but I promise that one day all that I do will work out for the best of all those involved."

"Shuichi," a soft voice called as she walk quietly into the kitchen. "Your jacket pocket has been buzzing for almost ten minutes now, sorry."

"It's all right, Kagome, I'll be right there," he said staring at his mother who had dropped her hand back to her side and was looking down at the ground.

He waited until Kagome headed back into the living room before he continued, "Mother, I love her, but that doesn't mean I don't love you any longer either. Can't you understand what it means to be in her position?"

She didn't have anything to say to that. He took a step towards her and pushed her face up to his and he gave her a warm smile. She sighed in frustration, knowing she couldn't change him before she returned the smile and was rewarded with a rare hug. She relished in the feeling knowing that he had never been a very affectionate child, so it was a gift to her when he was affectionate. Stepping away from her he left her to his thoughts as he went to answer the only thing in his jacket pocket that could possibly be buzzing.

His communicator.

* * *

So I was attempting a new chapter everyday, but life happens. It's still my goal for a chapter a day, but... Yeah. It's one in the morning as I'm posting this so I'll be brief and to the point, things are going to pick up from here out. I think I've dragged things out enough and I still would like to keep this story under 10 chapters if possible because part three is where the actual battle and general fluff comes back into play. This is the part where I just really wanted to move the story line a little but mostly explore the realm that is the relationship of Kurama and Kagome.

Thank you all so much! Good night! Ja-ne! And all that jazz!


	6. Vanilla Twilight

"Kurama! This is real bad!"

Not for the first time was Kurama glad that he had answered the call of his spirit world communicator outside away from his family, but he was also leery about leaving Kagome to herself. He knew that once he had reminded his mother of her roots with him that she would be more accepting of his mate but that didn't mean that the rest of his family had the restraint his mother had shown before. So now he stood on the front porch, able to see into the living room easily and still talk onto his cell phone like communicator he had helped to design much to Botan's dismay.

"What seems to be the problem Botan?" he asked calmly watching Kagome laugh as little Shuichi was talking animatedly.

"Remember that attack on Kagome we were looking into for you?" Botan replied rushed. "Well we've figured out where the portal reopened and it led us back to her family shrine!"

"I'm not following," Kurama said turning away from the window as his concern grew.

"As you already know that shrine sits on an ancient battle ground where the half demon Inuyasha destroyed Naraku and so on, but apparently a lot more went down there," she said sounding as though she were running. "Some four hundred years ago just after the Kakkai barrier was set up Spirit World was still rounding up the loose demons for their relocation into Makai a man claiming to be the son of evil appeared from that village. He slaughtered a lot of innocent people with superhuman powers but because he showed no signs of being a demon the SDF left him for the humans to handle," in the background he could hear the sounds of the main floor outside of Koenma's office. "We assumed that they did because not but a few years later all traces of the superhuman ran dry. It was though he had disappeared altogether which wasn't unusual for humans who attain magic powers that they don't know how to use."

"Yes it's very possible for them to be overcome by the dark or foreign powers that their wielding, I understand, but that's not what happened to this man, is it?" Kurama asked growing more frustrated by the moment though outwardly he didn't show it.

"Bingo!" Botan chirped. "I always said you were the smart one!"

"Continue Botan," he chuckled inwardly wishing she weren't such a chatterbox. A loveable chatterbox, but a chatterbox nonetheless.

"Well anyway, I dug a little deeper into the riddle that man gave Yusuke and found that the only common enemy that effected everyone of your lives was Naraku, who had a few stones that hid completely his demon essence which he gave to only a select few people," she continued breathlessly before the connection suddenly cut off and he heard a small popping noise far above him.

He looked up and saw Botan zoom out of the portal that had appeared over his mother's house. She landed carefully in a tree in the side yard before climbing down to where Kurama met her. She was wearing pink jogging pants with a matching jacket she was letting hand off her shoulders though it was zipped halfway up still showing her white tank. It looked as though she had put thought into her disguise today and her hair was up in its traditional pony high on the crown of her head.

"It took me almost this entire time just to piece everything together because I had to work backwards and research all the enemies that any of you have ever faced," she said breathlessly. "In order to figure out what the man was saying."

"Beware when the past comes to haunt you and all of your friends as a common enemy rises to meet you once more for lunch," Kurama recalled out loud thoughtfully. "But I don't understand how Naraku could be considered a common enemy. Even when living as Youko I never faced that vile halfbreed before Kagome and Inuyasha defeated him."

"Right, but that's where you're wrong!" she grinned taking a deep breath. "I never said that it was Naraku himself, but it's really his son or a creation of his."

"A creation?" Kurama questioned.

He was about to say more when he heard the front door open and soft footsteps approach them. He turned just as Kagome rounded the corner of the house with a curious expression. She stopped when she noticed Botan and looked between the frozen pair suspiciously.

"Shuichi, what's going on?" she asked placing an uncertain hand on her round belly.

"Kagome," Kurama called motioning her to his side. "This is Botan from Spirit World, she's been the one working to figure out who attacked you and Yusuke on the bus a few weeks ago."

"Oh," Kagome said sheepishly. "Nice to meet you."

"We've actually met once before but you were a little unconscious at the time so really it's wonderful to meet you consciously!" Botan laughed giving a small bow to Kagome who returned the gesture.

"So what were you saying about this creation?" Kurama asked steering the conversation back around before his family had time to become suspicious.

"Well, we're not totally positive how he's connected to Naraku, but we've been able to decipher that Naraku is the only enemy that each of you have whether it be directly or indirectly come into contact with."

"Naraku?" Kagome questioned worriedly. "We defeated Naraku years ago, he couldn't be the one who attacked us, and besides I would know the feel of Naraku anywhere even without my powers! That guy was just plain creepy!"

"Well, you would know better than most did he have any children?" Botan asked inquisitively.

Kagome shook her head, "I mean it's plausible that he could have had a child in the time that we were chasing him, but as far as any of us back then were aware the only children he had were the ones he created, like Kagura and Hakudoshi."

"This is something we're going to have to discuss with the rest of the group if it is what the facts are pointing towards," Kurama said looking towards the front of the house apprehensively. "Do you think you can get a hold of the boys?"

"Of course, you'll be fetching Hiei, I suppose?" she asked, pulling out a small pink capsule from the pocket of her jacket. "What time do we need to all assemble at Genkai's?"

"In order to give everyone time to get out there while still taking into account the bus shed-"

Kagome cut him off with a roll of her eyes as she said, "Just have everyone meet at the Sunset Shrine just outside of downtown. It's not far from the Yukimura restaurant and my mother knows everything anyway so I'm sure she won't mind a few people."

"You don't know the gang very well," Botan giggled. "The boys will eat you out of house and home!"

"Trust me when I say that they can't be much worse than when I was caring for two bottomless foxes," Kagome laughed back happily while Kurama pointed looked away slightly embarrassed she was poking fun at his demon appetite. "They'll be taken care of I assure you."

"If you say so," Botan snickered looking at Kurama mischievously as though she were plotting some sort of nefarious scheme that he was sure to hate. "Oh! And while we're there, the girls and I want to plan a day to get to know you!"

"And by that you mean..."

"SHOPPING!" they chorused with a squeal pumping a fist in the air excitedly.

"Oh, my gosh, we're going to love having you around!" Botan squealed further. "Have you even had a baby shower yet?"

"Botan," Kurama said warningly, "the boys?"

The blue haired deity pouted cutely, "Aw, spoil sport, we'll talk later tonight, Kags, later you two!"

"You're not planning on running all around town are you?!" Kagome asked following after the skipping girl.

"Of course not silly!" Botan chirped.

Following more slowly behind his dark haired mate Kurama watched curiously as Botan broke open the pink capsule she had in her hand before tossing it on the side of the road. A pink puff of smoke and a moment later there stood a pink Vespa. Kagome awed at the stylish baby pink and chrome moped while Kurama fought the urge to slap his hand to his forehead. As it were he settled for wrapping an arm around Kagome's waist as they watched Botan hop onto the bike and zoom away.

"She's more of an alien than a grim reaper," Kurama muttered, "and it definitely seems as though Koenma has been watching too much TV again."

"I was going to say something like that," Kagome agreed looking up at him thoughtfully. "Wasn't that a bit too much like something out of Dragonball?"

"I was thinking more along the lines of a combination of Fooly Cooly and Dragonball, but yes, it was definitely a bit unoriginal," he said finally looking down at her with a smile.

"Definitely," she agreed with a nod stealing a quick kiss from him that surprised the both of them, but they didn't say a word.

He led her back into the house to tell his family they would be leaving. Yes, he thought, perhaps things could work out between them, even in this life so long as they both were able to let go of the past in order to work towards their future. Sure, things hadn't worked out like either of them had planned, but it didn't mean that they had to give up entirely. It just meant that they had to work harder together to reach a common goal that in the end would be just as enjoyable as the original goal, if not more so. He decided that tonight after the meeting he would talk to her again about his feelings as well as hers instead of floating along as they were. He wanted to be a part of their child's life no matter what but he also wanted to be a part of Kagome's and bring her into his which was something he didn't do when they were together in Feudal Japan.

He had been a thief and therefore kept her a secret from everyone including the other thieves he ran with. She had asked for stories of his travels but he had never told her, afraid she wouldn't like his cruel methods of treasure extraction from live guardians. In fact he knew she wouldn't like his methods at all, but she understood that he wasn't always a beautiful person, yet she accepted him. It was really mind boggling when he thought about it. Here she was a priestess of one religion, while believing firmly in another religion while slightly twisting it to include the very religion that gave her her powers. He shook his head at the slightly confusing thought before he bid his mother and family a fond farewell.

Together they headed towards first the supermarket, and then onward to her shrine where everyone would be meeting soon, though he still had to contact Hiei which he decided he would do while she was making preparations with her mother to receive all their guests, most of whom Kagome would be meeting for the first time. As she sat beside him on their way to the store she too was lost in thought.

His family was wonderful and she really enjoyed her time with them once his mother had stopped giving her the judgmental stink eye. His stepfather and stepbrother were hilarious making her feel very welcome and his mother was pretty sweet, though she could kind of understand where the woman was coming from to be honest. She was sure her mother would be just as worried if Kurama had come with such serious attachments as a child, but at the same time people were more accepting of a man with a child than a woman. Angrily she thought of how stupid it was to just accept that men have sex but women don't or something like that. If it is just socially accepted for men to have random sex then who the hell do they have sex with if it isn't the women who don't have sex because that's socially unacceptable. It was retarded, yet she was forced to be labeled as a whore because she made love one time to a man she was to be married to. Well admitedly it was more than one time, but it was one night, she ammended in her mind with a blush.

"So do you know if there's any food allergies I should be aware of?" Kagome asked breaking the comfortable silence when they pulled into the grocery store parking lot.

"Kuwabara will swear that he's allergic to onions, but he does fine so long as he can't taste them or doesn't know that they've been used as an ingredient, Yusuke and Shizuru will eat just about everything except leeks, Yukina has a secret love of all things spicy despite her clan's rather bland taste in food, while Hiei secretly adores ice cream despite his own racial disposition, and finally Keiko and Botan both love sweet pastries, though their complaints afterward about their figure would lead you to believe otherwise," Kurama listed blandly as though he had been taking care of the group for a while.

"Seems like you really got that down pat," Kagome laughed walking around the back of the car to join him as they made their way into the store.

"Yukina, Keiko, and I have been the unofficial cooks for quite sometime whenever we get together because otherwise the food served would be either burnt or prepackaged," he smiled with her.

"So what about you?" she asked grabbing a cart and putting her small purse in the seat. "What do you like?"

He looked at her strangely for a moment as he thought, "I have only one favorite and that is something I haven't tasted in years because not even my mother could make it quite how I like it."

"Oh?" it was her turn to look perplexed. "Was it something I made for Youko?"

"Yes," he nodded. "Oden."

She stopped in the middle of the produce aisle to stare open mouthed at him, "But you told me you didn't like my hot pot!"

"I lied," he shrugged. "I'm shocked you're surprised at that considering I always showed up when I knew you would be making it."

"I never really noticed," she muttered turned back to look over a few vegetables. "I'm not going to have the time to make it tonight but now that I know I'll be able to make it for you soon."

He only smiled and observed the way she carefully looked over everything. She was going to make an amazing mom. Well, she already was an amazing mother after the way she was able to care for Shippo, but watching her carefully inspect the quality of ingredients to feed a group of people she didn't even know as though they were her own family only reinforced the idea in his head. It was too bad he just knew he wasn't going to be half the parent she was.

"What's wrong?" she asked not looking up from the head of lettuce she was looking over.

"Nothing, why do you ask?" he asked slightly puzzled.

She smirked but didn't say anything for a moment. Instead she reached for a produce bag to put the lettuce in before grabbing two more for the carrots and cucumbers she was already eying. After she had all three things put away she moved onto the tomatoes so that way she could have a salad later if she got the munchies.

"You're a bad liar," she said finally. "You have the same tells now as you did then."

"What?" he questioned incredulously. "I do not have tells or else I would have never been a master thief."

She laughed moving onto the next aisle, "You my friend have tells, everyone does, so long as you get to know them, but because I'm the first person you've ever let in then I guess no one else noticed."

"Okay then how do you know I'm lying?" he asked haughtily.

"Tell me two things about yourself," she said stopping in front of the canned foods. "Only lie about one thing and not the other and I'll tell you which is truth and which is the lie and then I'll tell you how I know."

"All right," he agreed with a smirk because after all he had never lost a bet before especially not to a woman. "When I was little I knew a girl named Maya who was my best friend."

"Okay, next statement," she said with a nod.

"I was forced to fight in a tournament once and in the final battle for the championship I lost my round."

She gave him a flat look and with an indignant snort turned away heading towards the end of the aisle, "The first statement you said about the girl was truth, but you were telling only half the truth on the second statement, so I'm guessing you won, but by some technicality it was called as a loss."

It was his turn to stop dead in his tracks while she looked over a few jars of spaghetti sauce. There was no way she could read him that well! Was there?

"How could you tell that well?" he demanded rushing up to her side.

"Well when you're bold face lying your left ear would have twitched, but because you're in a human form your hand clenches instead," she explained placing two small jars in the kart. "And because you were trying to cheat by telling me a half truth you instead twitched your right eyebrow which was something you used to pull on me when you and Shippo would pull various pranks on me."

"So if everyone has tells then you must have them too," he said as they resumed walking. "You tell me one truth and one lie and I'll tell you which is which."

"Kurama, I'm a horrible liar and everyone knows it!" Kagome laughed. "The only time I can lie with any amount of believability is to save my own life."

"Still I want to see if you have your tells as well," he said bemusedly.

She sighed, "Okay, once when I was little my dad took me out kite flying and taught me to make my own and we spent the whole day out flying kites. When we got back home my mom made us strawberry short cake."

"You were telling the truth about your dad but not about the dessert," he said as soon as she had finished. "You look away when you lie but you relax when telling the truth."

"See? I told you so," she said skipping the next few aisles and heading straight for the junk food.

"What are you making for everyone?" he asked.

"Mini pizzas, pigs in a blanket, ramen, frogs eyes, and sandwiches with push-pops for dessert," she said with a smirk. "In other words things I generally made for you when you came to visit to keep you occupied and not raiding my food stores."

"I wasn't that bad," he pouted.

"Ha! You were worse than Inuyasha, mostly because you ate more than just ramen!" she teased. "Even Shippo had to hide his candy from you!"

Kurama opened his mouth to argue but stopped. It was true. He had taken candy from the kit on several occasions. The brat had whined for hours afterward too. He frowned at the memory. Shippo had slowly become an exceptional hider of things, maybe so good he had learned to hide himself. Kagome wouldn't admit it but she was deeply worried about her adopted son. She hoped that perhaps meeting with Kouga next week would give her some answers, but by the look on his face as she mentioned all of their old friends she was doubtful that she would like the news. Though her mate had seemingly risen from the dead she was doubtful she could take another loss, fake or otherwise.

She sighed and continued on her way around the store picking up the various ingredients she needed for the assortment of snack food for the gang, but her mind had taken off on her. Part of her wondered what would have happened had she stayed in the past the other part of her knew it was for the best. Perhaps not the circumstances in which she was returned to her time what with the loss of her son and mate and ending up pregnant by said supposedly dead mate, but it was all going to work out in the end or at least that had become her motto over the past few years.

When she had lost Inuyasha in the final battle she had thought her life was over, but slowly she had found a reason to keep on going, and it was for Shippo's sake. Of course there was Rin too, she remembered with a smile, who had always brought her fresh flowers and made her smile at least once a day. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that she depended on her children more than she thought and now she never got to watch little Rin grow up nor did she even know where her now fully grown son was. The baby's kick to another of her multiple bruises coupled with her dark thoughts was really enough to bring tears to her eyes, but she quickly blinked them away. She refused to be a cry baby in public, raging hormones or not, it was mind over matter, she told herself and pressed onward to the dairy section.

Kurama watched her emotions play over her face and felt rather helpless. She was obviously thinking of the kit now that she had mentioned him and silently he wished he could do more for her. Perhaps if he had been keeping better tabs on the boy none of this would have happened, he thought, but in reality he knew that he would have lost track of the boy eventually when his physical form died. He reached out when the tears filled her eyes and placed his hand on hers. They finished the shopping rather quickly after that and with the amount she bought he was sure to never doubt her snacking prowess again. Also, he was pretty sure that he was going to be replaced as head cook for the group gatherings.

He took the bags in one hand from the cashier as Kagome paid and they left walking out the door side by side. Without even really thinking about it he reached out and took her small hand into his own interlacing their fingers with one another perfectly. She smiled but otherwise didn't make much of a show, for once neither of them caring about the world around them.

* * *

EEK! Longest chapter thus far and it wasn't much of a plot developer either! Oh well, such is the way of things... I'm sad/excited to announce that the updates are going to come a little slower for a bit until after this weekend because my sister and I have a photography business and we have a show to do this weekend. So it's sad for my writing itch, but exciting for my everything else! As soon as we start making some real money I'll be able to start doing cosplay photography! EEK! I'm so friggin' excited! Oh and hopefully my muse will be excited tonight after I go and watch Alice in Wonderland! YAY! Much love to y'all!


	7. Field of Innocence

"Mama!" Kagome called walking into the house, grocery bags in hand.

She received no answer which surprised her to say the least. Walking through the silent house she found she couldn't even hear the normal sounds of Souta's video games from his bedroom. Instantly on high alert she regretted not letting Kurama walk her into the house before he left to go get his friend Hiei. She also regretted not taking the time working to gain her powers back. As quietly as she could she crept into the kitchen, keeping a close eye out for anything strange. She only breathed a sigh of relief when she noticed her mothers hand written message on the fridge.

_Kagome,_

_  
In case you get home before I do, I ran Souta to a friends house._

_Grandpa is playing go at the club like usual and don't forget I'll need you to _

_help me this weekend for the Sanno Festival._

_Love Always,_

_Mama_

Kagome couldn't help but sigh as she remembered her mother reminding her earlier that the festival was coming up soon. She would have to dress traditionally which normally wouldn't be a problem, but they didn't have a kimono to fit her as she was now. Frowning down at her belly she placed a hand over her belly button sadly.

"You just keep getting me into more and more trouble little one. I can only imagine the nine kinds of hell you're going to raise when you grow up," she said lovingly with a knowing smile.

"Hello?" a timid voice called from the entrance way. "Kagome?"

Confused and not recognizing the voice Kagome poked her head out of the kitchen and looked down the hall to see a young woman with long brown hair looking around worriedly biting her lower lip.

"Can I help you?" Kagome asked stepping into the hallway startling the young woman.

"Oh! I'm Keiko, Yusuke's sent me over here saying that you might need help for this sudden meeting tonight," Keiko introduced with a polite bow from her waist.

Kagome smiled brightly, "Great! Come on in and I'll put you to work!"

Keiko grinned and hurried into the kitchen. From what little Botan and Yukina had told her about the girl, she was excited to get to know the only woman to ever be with Kurama as they knew him now. She was met with an apron to the face which had been carelessly tossed over Kagome's shoulder when she heard the girl enter the room. Quickly she tied on her own paisley apron before facing Keiko who was finishing tying hers on as well.

"So, you're with the street punk right?" Kagome asked letting her hair down only to retie all of it back up on top of her head so it was out of her way.

"I was, but we broke up a few months ago, though we're still really good friends," Keiko replied honestly, "I'm surprised his reputation still precedes him."

Kagome laughed, "No, I met him once before. He actually reminds me a lot of an old friend of mine."

"Really? Was your friend a hot headed pervert too?" Keiko giggled pulling her own long hair into a neat braid with swift fingers.

"Not so much a pervert but a hot head definitely!" Kagome answered. "How'd you learn to do that so quickly?"

"My parents own a restaurant so when I was younger I would sometimes have to come downstairs from our apartment to help out during dinner if we were getting too busy," Keiko said moving closer to Kagome. "Where do we start?"

Together the girls worked quickly using the various ingredients that Kagome had brought home as well as making a few extra dishes since Keiko knew a few members wouldn't have had a chance to have dinner and would want an actual meal rather than just snacks. They were joined midway by Kagome's mother arrival back home, but she had promptly disappeared with a few packages upstairs. Keiko greeted an ever as confused as always Kuwabara at the door followed by a worried looking Yukina. Kagome showed them into the dinning room where they had just laid out all the freshly prepared food.

"Uh, you're Kuwabara, right?" Kagome asked hopefully.

"The one and only!" Kuwabara replied. "I'm surprised you don't remember me," he said disappointingly.

"I didn't forget you silly, I just wanted to be sure I remembered your name," Kagome replied with a warm smile. "I've been meeting a lot of Kurama's friends quickly and at different times so I don't want to get anyone mixed up!"

"Then let me formally introduce myself," he declared striking a pose with one finger in the air. "I am Kazuma Kuwabara! Defender of justice and rescuers of beautiful maidens like my lovely Yukina, right here!" he shouted animatedly before pointing down to where Yukina had just been moments before. "Yukina?"

Kagome laughed uncomfortably, "Uh, maybe she slipped off to the bathroom?" she suggested. "I'll go find her!"

With that she skillfully darted from the room just as Keiko was showing Yusuke inside narrowly avoiding colliding with the young man, before sliding the door shut with a sigh. Keiko and Yusuke shared a knowing look before giggling at the flustered girl.

"Is he always that enthusiastic?" she hissed while Yukina appeared from the kitchen holding a tray of vegetables in one hand while munching on a carrot stick in the other.

"He's calmed down quite a bit since we were younger but yeah," Yusuke laughed. "You get used to it after a while or you just start punching him in the head."

"Seriously?" Kagome questioned in disbelief before shaking her head. "Has anyone heard from Kurama or Botan?"

"Not since she came to tell me about the meeting," Yusuke replied thoughtfully. "She said something about picking up some dessert since I guess this has turned into a party as much as a meeting."

"Yusuke, it's a little hard not to have so many people over and not call it a party and besides the only reason we made food was number one so you wouldn't raid poor Kagome's fridge and number two because of the short notice," Keiko explained with a sigh. "Just go eat before Kuwabara hordes down all the pizza."

"Pizza?" Yusuke grinned stepping into the room quickly closing the door behind him.

Kagome sighed and winced as the baby moved inside her again narrowly missing one of her more sore spots instead catching the side of what she was sure to be her kidneys. Both Yukina and Keiko noticed and glanced at one another worriedly before looking back to the dark haired girl leaning against the wall with a hand on her belly.

"Kagome, what's wrong?" Yukina asked setting the plate of veggies on a nearby side table. "Is the baby hurting you?"

"I'm sure it's just nothing," Kagome admonished waving their concern off. "I'm just too human, I suppose."

"Too human?" Keiko questioned. "How can you be too human?"

"I'm more fragile than a demon, though I'm trying to carry a demon's baby," Kagome answered. "My friend Sango, told me that usually it's very hard to carry a half demon baby because a human body can't handle the strength or energy of the baby."

"Sounds like your friend was very knowledgeable in birthing half demons," Yukina commented reaching out for Kagome to check on her.

"More like she was very knowledgeable in killing them," Kagome replied sadly. "She was a demon slayer and had to deal with raped women who became pregnant by evil demons. She said the child that was produced because of that type of copulation would also be evil and eat its way out of the mother if not taken care of, though it still made her sad to have to kill a child, even that of a demon."

Yukina raised her eyebrows, "A slayer who feels pity for the demons she kills? That's unheard of," she said lifting up Kagome's shirt. "My goodness why didn't you say something sooner about this?"

"I thought it was normal," Kagome replied quickly pushing her shirt back down.

Yukina was about to say more when the front door opened again and they heard Kurama announcing he had found Hiei. A moment later saw him at the end of the hallway looking at them strangely. Kagome smiled and excused herself to the kitchen claiming she had forgotten the drinks which Kurama found to be all the more suspicious as she rushed past him leaving Yukina reaching out for her uncertainly. Shaking her head with a sigh Keiko glanced at Yukina with a nod before going into the dining room to make sure the boys hadn't ate everything in sight.

"Yukina, what's going on?" Kurama asked concerned.

"Nothing, just normal girl stuff, but I think I'll go and help Kagome carry the drinks, excuse me," she replied with a uncertain smile before stepping past him like his mate had just done.

"She's lying," Hiei stated flatly.

"Yes, but why?" Kurama asked staring off after the two women just as Hiei was.

"She's worried for your mate, but doesn't want you to be concerned," was his only answer before the fire apparition moved into the dining room.

The next ten minutes or so saw that everyone of the normal group was situated around the table and chowing down happily including Botan who had brought a dozen delicious looking cup cakes. Talk began almost immediately about all their past enemies, but Kagome only half listened. The only real enemy she had ever faced was Naraku and he was dead so as far as these new random enemies she didn't have a clue. Sitting comfortably on her cushion she merely played with her bowl of rice though no one really noticed, not even Kurama.

She hated feeling like this. Here she was in a crowded room yet she felt so alone. The only person she knew was Kurama sitting beside her and she didn't really know this new Kurama. The Kurama that was shy and reserved, unlike Youko who was always bold and brutally honest. She shifted on her heels beginning to feel the strain of the extra weight on her knees as she sat very proper like. Why was it she felt this upset? Sure, pregnancy caused random mood swings, but normally she had learned to control them for the most part, though her mother still caught the brunt of most of it. She faintly listened as she hear the conversation turn and soon she was filled with bitter anger.

"Naraku is dead," she said suddenly startling everyone into remembering she was there. "There's nothing left of him to be terrorizing anyone every again."

"But what if there was even a small piece of him like that creepy Toguro?" Kuwabara asked.

"NO!" Kagome snapped clenching her chopsticks in her fist. "I keep telling you people, he's gone! I was there I would know!"

"And we were there too when the Elder Toguro was supposedly destroyed and somehow he came back to life," Yusuke answered her just as vehemently.

"There are key differences between the destruction of Naraku and the destruction of the Toguro brothers, Yusuke," Kurama inserted calmly attempting to diffuse the situation.

"So then how the hell is this Naraku guy connected to all of us?" Kuwabara asked scratching his head dumbly. "That's the only part I don't understand."

"Botan, I believe this is your theory," Kurama said motioning to the blue haired deity across from him.

Botan nodded and sat up straight pushing her plate aside as she cleared her throat, "The first connection we draw Naraku to isn't to Kagome, but to Youko."

"How so? As I said I never faced him before he was destroyed," Kurama questioned inquisitively.

"Oh, but you did," Botan replied ominously. "Your clan was destroyed by a powerful horde of demons for your clans alchemical secrets."

Kurama nodded though his emerald eyes tinged gold around the edges of his iris', "Very few knew of the clans existence, however, I had brought unnecessary light upon them as a infamous thief."

"The demons were led by a traveler who had been in your village just months before," she explained. "It was a weakened half breed with bad burns across his body. Your clan healed him quickly, but he was left with a-"

"Spider shaped scar on his back," Kurama finished for her with wide eyes before he recomposed himself.

Botan nodded before continuing, "Next person to come into contact with him after that was Hiei, more specifically his father."

Kagome noticed that the indifferent midget like man that was Hiei look up for the first time from his corner closest to her and Kurama. He looked at Botan with a mildly interested look and Kagome realized that he reminded her a lot of the stoic Lord Sesshomaru.

"The reason why your father was so injured that he ran into your mother was because Naraku attempted to absorb him for his power some fifty or so years after the destruction of Youko's village," Botan continued. "Next was Yusuke's father, Raizen, who had already become a vegetarian at that point, by attempting to hire him to steal the Shikon Jewel, but Raizen refused, therefore Naraku manipulated a village of slayers to destroy his family. This is why he never sought you out, Yusuke, because by all accounts according to him you should have never been created.

"At this point he of course started hunting for the jewel shards, and the rest of the story Kagome knows better than me," Botan finished seriously.

"What about me?" Kuwabara asked. "I thought you said that this Naraku weirdo affected all of us."

"Oh, I almost forgot!" Botan exclaimed with a huge grin. "Kagome, you might recognize his aura, but Kuwabara you're a descendant of the monk Miroku and demon slayer Sango."

"Are you serious?!" Kagome asked with a wide eyed expression.

"Mm-hm, so his gift is actually a bloodline trait," Botan nodded reaching for a cupcake. "So you see, Naraku is a common enemy to all of us, directly and indirectly, but since even spirit world acknowledges him as dead. So it's my theory that he had a child, or even a surviving creation that's wanting revenge for his death."

"But what the hell did that demon mean when he said we would be meeting for lunch?" Yusuke asked scratching his head sitting in between Yukina and Keiko.

"I think its a clue to when he'll be making his next move," Kurama said thoughtfully.

Kagome shifted in her seat uncomfortably as the baby kicked her in the stomach before moving and kicking her in the already full bladder. She closed her eyes as though in thought before she added to Kurama's theory.

"The anniversary of Naraku's destruction is coming up and we destroyed him just as we were settling in for lunch that day," she said, before standing up. "Excuse me."

Yukina watched her knowingly with her chopsticks to her lips before looking over at Kurama, "After dinner I want to see both you and Kagome alone, please."

Kurama nodded and the conversation continued, "So what we know now is that there is going to be an attack here by a child of Naraku on the anniversary of his father's destruction. Now what we need to decide is how we're going to prevent and or fight this battle."

"I say we just wait for this idiot to make his move and kill him dead," Yusuke said obviously, leaning back on his hands behind him. "It's obvious that's what he wants and from Botan told me before he's really good at covering his tracks so finding him beforehand is going to be like finding a needle in Kansas."

"I agree for once," Kuwabara said seriously resting his elbows on the table and playing with his bowl of ramen, "but I also don't think that we should give up looking for him completely. Couldn't you three use your connections in Makai to try to snuff him out?"

"It's plausible, but Makai is so full of hiding places that if this person is smart enough even the best of the best would have a hard time tracking him down," Hiei answered with a shrug. "I'll inform the rest of the Border Patrol to be on the look out."

"I also am in agreement with Yusuke for once," Kurama admitted before taking a sip of his mug of warm tea which was all that he had in front of him. "However my concern is that this place is number one in the middle of a crowded city, and number two this is Kagome's family home. We will need to avoid causing a public spectacle and if possible protect her family and their livelihood."

"Wouldn't it be possible to set up a barrier around the area?" Yukina asked setting her now empty bowl aside on the table. "If Botan and I work at it then I'm sure we can maintain a decent barrier around the perimeter of the shrine grounds, however, I think that would be the limit to our powers and at that point we'll be vulnerable."

"Never fear my love!" Kuwabara exclaimed. "I'll always protect you!" 

Yukina only sighed and shook her head, "It won't be that simple," she said tucking as Kagome reentered the room. "At our current levels we'll only be able to hold the barrier for twenty minutes at the most with any substantial amount of strength to it."

"She's right, neither one of us are very powerful," Botan said. "Not to mention what about Kagome and her family? We'll have to get them somewhere safe, but who's to say they won't soon become targets?"

"My family will be fine," Kagome said confidently. "As long as I can get my powers back we'll all be fine."

Kurama looked up at her standing in front of the closed dining room door as she held herself with pride. It was true that back in the day she was the most powerful priestess of his time, second only to Midoriko. If she were able to gain access to them again she would be a formidable opponent for even Yusuke or even Mukuro.

"Do you think that you can do it?" Yusuke asked skeptically. "I mean can you do that while you're all fat and stuff?"

"Yusuke!" Keiko chastised smacking him in the head. "That was totally uncalled for!"

"What?!" he whined. "I was being serious!"

"She can do it," Yukina said just as confidently as Kagome was. "I know she can, now all we need to form is a strategy."

"Wow, since when did you become all knowing and stuff?" Kuwabara asked blinking down at the small woman beside him.

"Kazuma, I've always been intelligent," Yukina replied with a smile. "I've just been unfamiliar with the customs of this realm, but living with your sister has been an experience to say the least."

Botan laughed as she stood up, "I figured that when Koenma was sending you to college that Shizuru would step up and teach you how to be a girl in the world! So why don't we put those brains to work in the other room and leave the boys to their war talk ladies?"

Keiko and Yukina smiled and nodded before getting up as well and Kagome stared at them confusedly, blocking the door. Botan only took her arm and drug her out of the room and into the kitchen with them where they all took seats around the smaller table.

"You all don't stay and help?" Kagome asked finally finding her voice. "I mean you don't help plan or anything?"

"Nope," Keiko said with a shake of her head. "We're not fighters, so we're just stuck with clean up afterward."

"Oh and don't forget we're the world's best cheerleaders!" Botan giggled.

"I'm a fighter so I'm going to get back in there," Kagome said still in disbelief attempting to stand and leave but Botan only pulled her back down.

"We have more important things to deal with in here," Botan said cheerfully. "After all you need a baby shower!"

"Baby shower?" Kagome questioned incredulously. "How the hell is that more important than the possible destruction of my home and the coming of potential evil?!"

"Simple," Botan replied. "When working together the boys are more than enough to stop just about anything!"

"She's right Kagome, relax, you'll be taken care of," Yukina added.

"So are you having a boy or a girl?" Keiko asked excitedly.

"I don't know," Kagome answered still slightly in shock. "The last ultrasound I had was when I was still in my first trimester."

"I can find out," Yukina offered. "I was planning on doing an in depth check on why the baby is hurting you more than she should be."

"Well we'll have to know or else we won't know what theme to go with!" Botan exclaimed as though it were obvious.

"Kagome would you like to know?" Yukina asked locking eyes with the young priestess who could only nod.

Standing Yukina motioned for Kagome to turn in her seat to face her midwife and so Yukina placed her hands on either side of Kagome's swollen abdomen. All the girls watched in fascination as Yukina's hands began to glow an eerie blue and soon so did Kagome's belly in response. It took a few moments of intense silence before the glowing stopped and it was a few moments after that that Yukina looked back up with a smile and straightened up again.

"Congratulations!" she said happily. "It's a girl."

"Aww! A baby girl!" Keiko cooed. "Wow!"

"What's more we can decorate everything in pink!" Botan giggled.

"It's also a fox," Yukina added calmly.

"What?" Kagome asked. "You mean she's in a demon form?"

"Yes and no," Yukina said carefully. "Kagome, you're having twins."

Nothing was said for a moment as they all watched Kagome's reaction. She sat in her chair dumbfounded before bolting out of her chair much to their surprise. They followed after her quickly even more surprised when she didn't rush into the dining room but out the front door. She didn't stop until she was at the base of the Goshinboku and it was there that she collapsed. The girls stood in the doorway giving the poor girl her space for a moment.

Twins. Meaning not just one baby but two. How was she supposed to handle that? She was already scared to her wits end about having one, let alone a second child. Of course she had practically raised Shippo on her own, but he was already able to take care of himself by the time she began caring for him. For the first time since her first trimester she suddenly felt very ill. Tears filled her eyes and she felt more alone than she ever had. One of the babies shifted within her as though uncomfortable with her feelings of fear.

Not for the first time did she reach out and brush her fingertips over the small memorial tablet she had posted in front of the ancient tree and wished she was still with those that the tablet represented. Sango, Miroku, Inuyasha, Kaede, Kikyo, Kohaku, all of their faces passed through her mind and she could swear that she could even hear Shippo's sweet voice calling to her. Letting out a sob she let her hand drop to her lap. There was just no way her son hadn't survived, she couldn't and wouldn't accept that as an answer. He would have to be here with her to help her as he always had. He would have to be there so she wouldn't feel so alone in a sea of people she didn't even know.

"There is a poem I saw once called _Loss_, carved into a big stone. It has three words, but the poet has scratched them out. You cannot read _Loss_. Only feel it," a soft masculine voice said from behind her. Tearfully she turned and saw the mysterious red head squatting behind her watching her with his knowing green eyes and his elbows resting on his knees, "In the same way the heart always dies a slow death just like this tree here, shedding each hope like leaves in the autumn... Until one day there are none left. No hopes. _Nothing_ remains, but the cold space of winter."

She didn't try to say anything as she sat up, but she did wipe her eyes and clear her throat. Gently she felt him lean closer and wrap his arms around her. He nuzzled the sensitive area at the start of her neck just by her hair line and she couldn't help but relax if only slightly.

"We'll get through this Kagome, _together_," he whispered in her ear. "I'm never leaving you again, but I'm honestly afraid that you're going to take off at a moments notice."

She shook her head, "Where would I go? I have nothing left, no where to run to."

"I know you," he chuckled. "You would find a way to disappear if you really wanted to. Tell me what's really on your mind."

"I'm having twins, one of which is in a demon form," she said flatly in a voice that would make Sesshomaru proud. "Life was going to be hard enough with one baby, but two? I can only pay for so much and working here at the shrine would have barely covered my living expenses so Mama wouldn't have to, but there's no way I'll be able to afford things now. Mama is already working hard enough for me as it is."

"You speak as though you are still alone," he said wisely.

"I still feel so alone," she admitted quietly. "In there I was surrounded by people I don't even know who automatically treated me as though I was one of them."

"Because you are."

"No I'm not! I was never there for any of those battles that you guys were talking about!" she protested turning in his arms to look up at him.

He only smiled, "But you are a part of me, and I'm a part of this, therefore you are too. Sure the girls are a bit over enthusiastic, but that's just the way they've always been. They're like pack mothers, really."

A pack. Now there's a term she could understand. She was the pack mother when she ran with Inuyasha and had even claimed the title of alpha in the village when she lived there. It was a term Inuyasha had taught her and it was a way of life that she happily accepted, but here in the modern era where there were too many alphas running about she really didn't know where she fit in. Perhaps she needed his pack where everything was as it was supposed to be. Perhaps this was a good thing. Inside her heart she felt a shift of her emotions as her optimistic nature fell back into place. Slowly she smiled at the green eyed red head before leaning her head on his chest.

They weren't perfect, but today, though long and chaotic, had been a real eye opener for them both. Together, truly for the first time since meeting in the modern era. They realized that they were finally at peace, _together._


	8. Baby, Are You Down?

Four days had passed since the entire group had been together at the Sunset Shrine, but they had been a busy four days for the priestess. Together she sat with Kurama and helped to plan the shrine's defenses and together (albeit a little reluctantly on Kurama's part) they had help plan the baby shower to be held in the next few weeks.

"Kagome, have you seen Souta's hakama?" Mrs. Higurashi called down the stairs to the living room where Kagome was searching for the cordless phone.

"He hid them in the bottom of his closet," Kagome called back, knowing Souta would be mad if he ever found out that she was the one to reveal his hiding spot.

She let out a triumphant sound when she found the small hand held device underneath Grandpa's evening newspaper from the night before. Almost hesitantly she dialed the local phone number before putting the phone to her hear and listening as it rang, before a rich voice she loved to hear answered.

"Hey, are you about ready?" she asked cheerfully. "I need your help."

"I was just finishing up here and walking out the door when you called," he replied. "I'll be there in a few minutes. Is there anything you need before I come over?"

"Ooh! Can you pick me up a large french fry and vanilla milkshake from WacDonalds?" she asked excitedly, pacing her living room.

He chuckled, "Yes, anything else?"

"If that's Kurama make sure he knows he's supposed to be in traditional formal wear!" Mrs. Higurashi called. "And also see if he'll get a lint brush for us, Buyo has been laying all over Grandpa's good pants!"

"Um, Mama asks if you could get us a lint brush too?" Kagome asked sweetly rubbing a hand over her silk covered belly. "Buyo has a fetish for all things opposite color to himself."

"Sure, I'll be right over, I love you," he said with a smile in his voice.

"Love you too!" she responded before hanging up the phone with him and placing it back on its base.

Quickly as she could she rushed up the stairs to finish getting ready. Her mother had went out and bought her a traditional outfit, but it was from China instead. A hanfu as she called it was less constricting than her traditional kimono and in both their opinions looked much better. She was already wearing the first layer which was a simple empire waist strapless dress in a silver white trimmed in a ice blue that covered her almost up to her collar bone. In her room her mother was already dressed and ironing Souta's hakama since they had already ironed out the wrinkles in the rest of Kagome's other two layers. With a smile she bounced into her bed happily thinking about the prospect of house hunting with Kurama.

They were willing to try to find one close to her mother's, but if all else failed they would build one near Genkai's temple where Yusuke had taken up residency. If she was being honest with herself that's really where she wanted to be. In a forest where she couldn't hear the sounds of the city and breath the air without having to smell exhaust fumes. Sure she wanted to be close to her mother because she was still scared to have the babies on her own, but she also knew that they would be safer at the temple.

There was a knock at the door and the Higurashi women exchanged a look of confusion before Kagome got up and made her way back downstairs. The knocking only grew more impatient as she neared the doorway.

"Can I- Yusuke?" Kagome greeted the strangely dressed boy.

"Yeah, yeah, don't make a huge deal out of it," he said stepping past her and into the entrance way. "This is a once and a life time thing."

"Oh, okay," she said still in shock looking him over.

He was wearing a gray and white stripped happi short sleeved coat with a white tank underneath and on the back was the emblem for his ramen stand. He was even wearing the traditional black split hakama pants and tatami sandals which he immediately flipped off once inside. Though the clothing looked good on him he looked slightly uncomfortable in it. Placing a comforting hand on the half breed's back Kagome smiled at him.

"You look great," she said as she took his arm and led him into the living room. "Make yourself at home, but please don't ravage my kitchen."

"Nah, I ate at the shack before I came over here," he shrugged. "Besides I gotta pick up Yukina from school before too long, she just wanted me to ask if it would be all right if she got ready for the festival over here rather than fighting the traffic to try to make it home and back here on time."

"Of course she can!" Kagome exclaimed happily. "I'd be happy for the company really, though Kurama's on his way over, did you want him to swing by and pick her up to save you a trip?"

"Nah, I told her I'd do it," Yusuke insisted quickly with a light blush.

"Okay," she said uncertainly. "Are you two together?"

"What?! No! I mean Kuwabara's all over her and she's... she's Yukina, she'd never date someone like me," he said throwing his hands up beside him in protest.

She gave him a stern look as she folded her arms over her chest, "So? If she's single then go for it!"

"No I mean seriously, Kuwabara has been after her for years, they'll get together eventually," he continued to protest. "I'm not right for her at all."

"Sure, keep telling yourself that and I'm sure that'll make it true someday," she replied with a roll of her eyes before turning and heading back upstairs.

"Who was that dear?" Mrs. Higurashi asked when Kagome walked back into the bedroom.

"Oh, just a friend," Kagome replied nonchalantly. "Yukina is coming by to get ready over here, you don't mind do you?"

"Not at all, but would you mind calling for your brother and grandfather to come inside and get ready?" Mrs. Higurashi responded holding up the freshly pressed split hakama.

"Yeah let me find my phone," Kagome grumbled searching under her blankets for her handy cell phone.

When she found the device her mother was already headed out of the room with the two men's outfits in hand ready to hang up for the boys to put on. Sliding the phone open while wishing the flip phone was still in style she quickly sent Souta a text message to get inside which he replied to almost as soon as she had sent it. When she stood up she quickly ran across the hall to relieve her trapped bladder before returning to her bedroom with what she hoped would be the last time so that she could finish putting together her outfit. As fate would have it, there was another knock, but this time at her window instead. Frustratedly she quickly pulled up the shades only to be greeted by a floating blue haired woman with a bag of sweets in her hand grinning mischievously.

"Botan?" Kagome questioned curiously throwing open her window. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, actually Koenma wants to meet you later tonight, but he's going to be late so he sent me on ahead!" she replied happily. "Isn't that super?! Now I can help you get ready and we can chat some more about the baby shower!"

"Great..." Kagome replied with a forced laugh, holding back a sigh as the woman flew inside. _"Note to self,"_ she thought, _"new bedroom will NOT have easy window access."_

"So anyway since they're both girls I was thinking that we could do a very girly pink and white theme with lots of cute stuffed animals everywhere and of course there would have to be tons of streamers and balloons!" Botan chattered away as she stood up on the floor while making her oar disappear before she turned to the unamused Kagome.

"Botan, I don't have the money for that kind of party," Kagome said quietly. "Besides I would rather have something small and simple here at the shrine."

"Oh, nonsense," Botan said brushing her comment aside. "This is your first baby, well, first babies, you need to really celebrate it! And I'm not Koenma's assistant without a few perks, including access to Spirit World's credit card."

"I could never ask for something like that!" Kagome protested with wide eyes.

"You didn't, and that's why **I'm** doing it!" Botan answered with a warm smile setting her bag of warm pastries on the diaper changing table. "Look, if we didn't want to do it then we wouldn't but you're having the first group baby so we're all a little excited, this is just as much for everyone as it is for you and Kurama."

Kagome sighed eying a delicious looking crème horn, "If it's that important, I guess I really don't have a choice do I?"

"Nope!" Botan giggled handing her the mouth watering treat. "So instead you should leave all the planning up to Keiko and I!"

"Under one condition," Kagome said before taking a bite into heaven, "I want it to be held here and you have to let my mother help plan it. She's just as excited."

"Wouldn't dream of taking that away from a happy soon to be grandmother," Botan said seriously before biting into her own eclair.

"I'm not going to be a grandmother, I'll be a loving and youthful Nana," Mrs. Higurashi said as she paused in the doorway with an armful of Souta's dirty laundry.

Botan nodded proudly, "You'll be the most amazingly youthful Nana ever, Mrs. H!"

"You darn right!" Mrs. Higurashi called back halfway down the stairs. "Kagome don't be pigging out on those sweets."

"I'm not mom," Kagome called back past a mouthful of filling.

"Come on let's get you dressed," Botan giggled with Kagome as she finished her sweet and put the bag of the rest of them away. "This is a very odd kimono," she said with confusion looking at the two remaining robes hanging in front of Kagome's closet.

"It's a hanfu, from China actually," Kagome corrected stepping up to the first robe and sliding its deep blue tie off of the hanger first handing it over to Botan before pulling the silk robe off and carefully wrapping it around her.

The royal blue silk robe was made with an extra button to hold it shut just below her breasts so that the rest of it could flow open just slightly around her baby bump to show the silver white dress underneath. The tie at that point was just for looks as the robe held itself shut but she held the floor length sheer flowing bell sleeves up anyway around her wrists to allow Botan to slip around her and wrap the silk tie around her twice over before tying it with a cute bow at the top of her baby bump. Next went the traditional looking kimono like robe, which was a pale ice blue with silver embroidery of the symbol for harmony and silver roses which Kagome found especially endearing. It of course acted more like a coat than anything but covered the sheer silk robe underneath.

"Wow, Kagome, that's really pretty," Botan admired once the outfit was put together. "It almost hides the little twins here!" she chuckled rubbing Kagome's round tummy. "How is it though, that you guys didn't notice sooner that you were having twins?"

Kagome sighed and carefully sat down in her rocking chair watching as Kurama walked up the stairs outside, "The baby who's in her demon form is much smaller than the little one who looks like a human, so what Yukina suspects is that she was hiding her smaller sister from the ultrasounds and from her probing. We talked it over but strangely the baby in her demon form has no demon energy so she was basically hidden from us."

"Wow, talk about opposites there," Botan said in amazement sitting down on the unmade bed careful of her own kimono.

She had traded her usual pink and white kimono for something more fancy and so was wearing a magenta silk kimono with a black trim and had actually left her long hair halfway down. She wore traditional geta sandals and tabi socks. Kagome herself was going to be wearing vinyl zori instead with the straps to match her kimono though she was planning on waiting until the last minute to put those on. Downstairs she heard her mother greet Kurama before she heard the soft sounds of his bare feet on the carpeted stairs.

"Kagome?" he called just before he poked his head just inside the doorway. "Oh, so you are here Botan."

"Oh, yes, Koenma wanted to meet your mate and congratulate you two in person so he'll be here later, but sent me on ahead," Botan explained happily.

Looking at the blue haired ferry girl Kagome couldn't help but wonder if she was always so happy. Rubbing her hand in a circle over her belly Kagome watched as Botan and Kurama discussed the happenings of Spirit World as of late while her kits rested for once inside her. It seemed like they were active at the most inconvenient of times, like when she was trying to sleep or work, but she enjoyed the feeling so she wouldn't complain. Before she had met Youko, she had resigned herself to living alone for the rest of her life and though she would have been content with that because she knew Shippo would be there with her, she still was sad only because she wouldn't be able to have children of her own. Caring for Shippo only filled her heart so full until she would see a young expecting mother and have to care for her as she talked about all the experiences that she as a priestess would never get to experience.

Turning to look out the window she let her thoughts wander to her powers as a priestess. She felt much akin to how she felt before she mated Youko, but why was it her powers were still locked from her? She sighed, after all, it wasn't like there was a knowledgeable priestess she could go see on down the road because there were so few priestesses who possessed any real gifts these days. She didn't notice the other two looking at her worriedly as she stared out the window in thought. The decorations were up for the festival and their portable shrine had been prepared today by both her grandfather and herself personally, but still something was missing. Her brows furrowed together as she thought and the soft movement of her hand stilled until she was startled back into reality when Kurama took her small hand into his own. Surprised she looked up at him only to have his brilliant smile take her breath away like he had when he first smiled a heart warming smile for her what seemed like eons ago.

"You ready to go on out?" he asked.

"Oh, yeah, um," she replied flustered and blushing lightly before standing up so quickly her head began to swirl.

Kurama steadied her with a look of concern, but she recovered quickly and gave him a brilliant smile in return. Botan watched them and gave out a girlish giggle before rushing out ahead of them while Kurama resisted the urge to roll his eyes and followed with Kagome behind him, their hands linked in one another. They heard the familiar roar of Yusuke's motorcycle climbing the wheelchair ramp before he slid to a stop in front of the house with an exasperated Yukina clinging to him. The trio exited the house through the front door just in time to see Yusuke remove his full face helmet bubbling over with laughter while Yukina still clutched him obviously terrified of his scary holiday traffic driving. Gently he patted her hands clasped over his middle looking over at her smiling.

"Aw come one Kina, it wasn't that bad!" he laughed as she finally looked up at him, realizing that they were fully stopped.

She glared up at him, but still not removing herself from his person, "The hell it wasn't!" she growled cursing uncharacteristically, proof that she had been spending a lot of time with the dark haired punk. "You almost got us killed at least three more times than normal!"

"Chill out, Kina, I knew what I was doing," he admonished, turning carefully in her arms.

"Ooh! Don't you _Kina _me Yusuke Urameshi!" she snapped back.

"Oh my!" Botan exclaimed, clearly surprised by the closeness of the two arguing on the bike.

"Yukina!" Kuwabara called from the top of the stairs happily searching around for the small slip of a woman.

Kagome watched with a critical eye as her koorime midwife quickly removed herself from Yusuke, nearly toppling off the bike before she practically ripped the helmet off of her head blushing furiously. Silently she wondered if the normally peaceful and timid girl was two timing the two boys, or if perhaps Kuwabara just couldn't get a hint like a certain other boy she once knew.

"Higurashi!"

_Speak of the devil and he shall appear_, she thought to herself with a sigh. It didn't slip past Kurama's notice that she tensed up and clutched his arm worriedly for a brief moment as the tall short haired dull looking boy approached them wearing a full traditional kimono befitting a family of high standing.

"Hojo! What a pleasant surprise!" Kagome exclaimed with obvious fake enthusiasm. "I haven't seen you since high school.

"Yukina my love!" Kuwabara exclaimed, both boys rushing towards their respective chosen objects of affection.

Kagome watched carefully as Yukina stiffened and slipped back into the quiet and shy woman everyone knew her to be before turning her attention back to the boy in front of her. She let go of Kurama and gave Hojo a small bow in greeting before placing an uncertain hand on her unusually quiet kits. The thought crossed her mind with some realization that they only quieted when their father was around.

"Higurashi!" Hojo repeated happily as though he were testing out the name on his tongue again. "I'm so glad to see you've returned from the hospital in America! We're they able to help with that unidentifiable disease you developed?"

She didn't miss the strange glance Kurama sent her from the corner of her eye as she nodded, "Oh, yeah, I'm doing great now."

"It shows," he said never losing his happy glow. "Who's the lucky fellow you've gone up and married?"

"I never actually got married, Hojo," Kagome answered honestly. "I had been engaged to a man while I was away, however, he passed away just before I found out I was pregnant."

"I'm very sorry to hear that," Hojo replied seriously. "Eri and I would love to have you over sometime to catch up though, she's missed you terribly since you've been gone, you know?"

"Eri? God, I haven't spoken to her or any of the other girls in so long," Kagome replied wistfully. "How is everyone?"

"Well Ayumi is a practicing veterinarian in Osaka where she married a US Marine, Eri and I married in the fall of last year," he answered thoughtfully. "She's going to law school and I'm working to take over the family business."

"Really?" Kagome asked impressed. "You and Eri, huh?"

Hojo blushed childishly, "Yeah, we became close after you left, and things kind of went from there."

"What about Yuka?" Kagome asked watching from the corner of her eyes as Kurama moved to talk with his other friends.

For the first time since she had met him Hojo frowned, "Your family didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?" she asked now worried.

"Yuka passed away about a year and half ago," he replied causing Kagome to gasp as her hands flew up to her mouth, "she got with a man who was in tight with the Yakuza, and when she tried to leave there was an accident."

"Oh my God!" she said in disbelief tears stinging her eyes. "I can't believe that!"

"Kagome?" Kurama questioned coming up to her side quickly, taking her arm into his hand so he could look into her face. "What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry, I thought someone would have told you by now," Hojo apologized.

"No, no, it's not your fault," Kagome replied. "I wasn't allowed to have stress for a while during my treatments so I'm sure Mama just didn't want to upset me." Blinking away her tears she turned to Kurama with a small sniffle. "Sorry I just found out one of my close high school friends passed away, but I'll be okay, nothing to worry about."

She smiled at him but the look in her eyes said she would need him later. He squeezed her hand to assure her he was there for her. Hojo watched the pair curiously before he finally recognized the red haired man in his formal clothing.

"Minamino?" Hojo questioned unsuredly.

Kurama turned towards the boy startled slightly at the use of his human name, "Do I know you?" he asked slightly confused.

"You probably don't remember me, but we had business finance together with-"

"Mr. Tenouh," Kurama replied at the same time with a nod, "now I remember why your name sounded so familiar. You were wanting to take over your family's medicinal shop right?"

"Yeah, still am," Hojo nodded happily. "So you two are together now?"

"Yes, we are," Kurama agreed before Kagome had a chance to say anything much to her surprise. "We're currently looking for a place to live outside of the city, or even a contractor to build us a house on some land I have."

"Really?" Hojo questioned in surprise. "I know a guy who's really good to use and he gets his work done really quickly too! My family has used him two or three times for different jobs."

Kurama smiled wrapping his arm around Kagome's waist as she looked at him surprise clearly written on her face, "You wouldn't happen to have his name and information would you?" he asked.

Kagome watched as Hojo whipped out his wallet and handed a business card over to her mate beside her. She caught a glance at the name, _Bluefire Construction,_ before the small black card was tucked away in Kurama's haori. She was surprised to notice that his outfit matched hers almost perfectly leaving her to wonder if he had some outside help. His traditional haori was royal blue with white undergarments tied underneath while his hakama were black like most hakama. He had finished off the look with a pair of tatami zori, with the blue straps matching his haori, but what was most stunning was the silver fox embroidered on his back circling around a silver rose beautifully.

She didn't really get a chance to study the pattern more as there was a loud crashing noise from inside her home that drew her attention away. Excusing herself as quickly and politely as she could she rushed back into her home only to find a strange man standing beside her mothers favorite vase which was lying broken on the floor. Her mother was quick to rush down the stairs with the Higurashi boys hot on her heels only to force themselves to a stop rather suddenly on the hardwood. The young man who at this point was rather embarrassed waved his hand over the broken porcelain using his powers to restore the vase to its original form before he picked it up and placed it back on the small table beside Mrs. Higurashi's padded gliding chair.

"Sorry about that," he apologized quickly. "There must have been a small miscalculation in the placement of the portal inside your home."

"That's because this is a shrine and there's certain wards in place to keep such demons like you out of here!" Grandpa Higurashi bellowed reaching into his formal kimono for the ofuda's he normally kept on him.

"Grandpa!" Kagome scolded. "What have I told you about trying to purify my friends!"

"But Kagome, as the priest of this shrine it is my duty to keep such foul creatures away from our lands and-" he protested before Kagome cut him off again.

"He's not a demon Grandpa! He's the ruler of Spirit World for crying out loud!" she growled stomping over to the startled lord. "Let's get out of here before he ruins your outfit with his useless sutra's."

Koenma was so surprised that this dark haired woman not only knew who he was but was brave enough to grab him by the hand and lead him back out of her house to where the others were gathered in the front yard. She wasn't really surprised to see that Hojo had left again and everyone was talking quietly around Yusuke's bike where the dark haired halfbreed was still sitting with his leather jacket contrasting with his formal clothing. Koenma was even dressed up for the occasion wearing a deep purple and maroon kimono with his family seal embroidered in gold on his back.

"Wow, for a toddler you sure to clean up nice," Yusuke commented with a smirk.

"Thanks, that means so much coming from a noodle chef," Koenma replied flatly. "I surprised you were smart enough to tie your clothing on decently, being a hairless monkey and all that."

"Did you plan that all day or are you actually growing a sense of humor?" Yusuke laughed with Kuwabara.

"Actually that sounds like something Hiei once said about me," Kuwabara replied thoughtfully still snickering all the same.

"So anyway, who are you miss?" Koenma asked quickly changing the subject to the woman who had already stepped away from him to stand beside Kurama again.

"Lord Koenma, this is my mate, Higurashi Kagome," Kurama introduced proudly.

"Mate?" Koenma questioned in surprise. "I wasn't even aware that you were seeing anyone before this, unless Botan has been giving me false gossip."

"Lord Koenma," Botan chided putting her hands on her hips at his accusation. "My gossip is of the finest quality, but I can't help it if you don't pay attention! I told you Kagome was the time traveler who met Youko 500 years ago. You know, the one who destroyed Naraku?"

"Oh, right, right," Koenma said with realization before brushing her comment aside with a wave of his hand. "So this is the time traveler? Wow, things must be hard for you to readjust to here in the present."

"Sort of," Kagome nodded. "I think the smell is probably the hardest thing to deal with really. That's why I want to get out of the city."

"The air smells?" Kuwabara asked dumbly sniffing around him. "Did someone fart or something?"

"No you idiot," Yusuke sighed with a roll of his eyes, "she means the pollution, you know from the factories and all the cars?"

"Oh," Kuwabara answered dejectedly. "I just don't notice it."

"Don't feel bad, Kuwabara," Kurama assured the pouting man. "Most people don't but for those of us with heightened senses or like Kagome here who knows what it's like to live in a place without such pollutants in the air it becomes a very noticeable thing."

"Kagome!" Mrs. Higurashi called from the front door. "The first group of carriers are on their way, you and Grandpa still have to bless the shrine."

"Yes Mama," Kagome called back. "Hey, wait a second!" she pouted turned suddenly to face Kurama glaring up at him cutely. "Where's my large fries and vanilla shake?"

"In the kitchen, I was afraid of your mother confiscating it before you got to have it," he smiled as she visibly brightened.

"In the usual hidey hole?" she questioned hopefully with a childish grin.

He nodded and she ran off with a happy squeal that surprised the rest of the group. Kurama was quite proud to say that he spoiled his mate with just about anything she asked for just for the simple fact that she didn't really ask for much. Turning back to the group he was met with a few questioning stares while Botan only giggled.

"Glad to see that her mood swings aren't that bad yet," Botan commented. "How does she stay so happy and energetic?"

"It's just part of her charm," Kurama answered simply, though knowing exactly why she acted so happy all the time.

Admittedly she was a generally happy person, but when she began her travels in the past she had quickly learned that people looked to her for guidance and strength even before she had accepted her role as a priestess. She had perfected her happy mask when she was left to take care of Edo, when Sango and Miroku left to go off and rebuild the Slayer village a few months after their defeat of Naraku and the loss of their halfbreed companion. It took him months of seeing her back then to actually get past her fake smiles and happy facade, before she finally opened opened up to him about the pain in her soul. Shamefully he had realized that her soul was already on the mend when she had been pulled back to the future, and coming back to find him dead, well, he could honestly understand why her powers had stopped. Then there were the times when she was happy and clinging to him he could almost believe her, were it not for the still ever present tinge of sadness in her eyes. Of course when he first found her here the sadness had filled her eyes but slowly bit by bit the dark light had diminished to be filled with the warm sparkle that was all her own. He was proud of that and after tonight he hoped the sparkle would fill her eyes again.

"So are you really going to pop the question tonight?" Yusuke asked in a hushed voice once Kagome had disappeared with the clack of the storm door.

Kurama nodded, looking back to his long time friend, "When the fireworks begin, yes, I plan to."

"Great then we can all go out a celebrate afterward, right Lord Koenma?" Botan asked happily.

"If that's what everyone would like," Koenma nodded with only a slight smile.

"So what brings you here anyway?" Yusuke asked suspiciously eying the Spirit World ruler.

"We believe to have found her son," Koenma replied hesitantly. "But I would like to tell Kagome about that personally."

"Shuichi Kurama Minamino!" Mrs. Higurashi called angrily walking around the side of the house.

"Ouch," Kuwabara snickered. "She used your full name, you're in trouble."

"Way to piss off your soon to be mother-in-law," Yusuke laughed with him. "What'd you do now."

"Kagome probably got caught with her treat," Kurama muttered with a sigh before turning to trot easily over to the angered older woman.

"You know Kagome doesn't need to be eating something so unhealthy!" she chastised. "Why would you get her something like that?"

"She asked me to," he replied easily. "She deserves a little something every so often."

"Yes! A little something!" Mrs. Higurashi exasperated.

"That's why I only got her a small shake," he said slyly.

Throwing her hands up in the air in defeat she turned and moved as quickly as she could back around to where Kagome and Grandpa were sprinkling rice wine on the shrine and muttering their prayers.

The rest of the evening passed easily and rather happily for Kagome as she got to finish her not so secret treat despite her mother's protests. Everyone cheered as the portable shrine was carried away by enthusiastic people to the main shrine Hie Jinja. Though because of her condition she was forced to stay at the shrine and bless the people who came to visit them, her Grandfather was one of the priests who followed everything all the way back to Hie Jinja. Kurama never really left her side while all of his friend gathered in their formal wear to await the celebration that was going to follow afterward. Mrs. Higurashi had prepared a large feast to take place complete with a bonfire in a marked off area near the Goshinboku.

They were joined by a few members of Kagome's extended family all wearing yellow and orange kimono's like Mrs. Higurashi's bearing the family crest on their back which included the kanji for sunset, the shrine's namesake. Kagome practically glowed as she talked about her expecting twins with her younger cousins who didn't understand the fact that she wasn't married. She was even able to notice Yusuke and Yukina sneaking longing glances at one another throughout the night even as Kuwabara practically kept the smaller woman glued to his hip all night. Kagome determined that if no one else was going to acknowledge the growing romance between the two polar opposite people and how good the two were for one another then she would be the one to talk to the two of them. Kurama watched as she schemed and felt very sorry for whoever was going to be on the receiving end of her nefarious plans while praying to whatever deity would hear him that it wasn't him.

It wasn't long before the relaxed dinner was finished and everyone was making their way over to the bonfire. Souta and Yusuke were eager to lite the large pile of wood under the careful supervision of Mrs. Higurashi while Grandpa entertained the smaller children of the family with tales of the past that Kagome had already told him complete with theatrics that had them enthralled as the sun set over the horizon. While the rest of the family gathered around the bonfire to roast marshmallows and sweet potatoes Kagome slipped away from the group to sit directly beneath her favorite tree nearby the only people who ever really made her feel wanted aside from Youko. She sighed and shook her head. No, it really wasn't like that anymore. She was part of a new pack and she just needed to find her place within it instead of building it around herself like she had in the past.

Yusuke nudged Mrs. Higurashi who was speaking with her sister when he saw Kurama approach her daughter. Kurama turned briefly to give her a nod before he continued to Kagome's side.

"Why aren't you with the others?" Kurama asked sitting on the bench beside her.

"The kits are getting restless being around so many people, I think," she said rubbing a hand over her still abused belly. "I don't think they're too used to so many unfamiliar aura's."

"Let me help," he said quietly with a smile kneeling down in front of her.

Gently he fed the kits his energy for a moment calming them as he ran his hands up and down her rounded belly skillfully leaving the tell tale black velvet box on top where she would notice it. Confusedly she picked up the box and opened it to reveal the engagement ring he had given her and put away in her hidden jewelry box in her room. Carefully he took the box from her and took the ring out as he knelt on one knee.

"Kagome, I know I've asked you once before and we've discussed this, but I've realized something," he began quietly. "That I've been going about this in my own way, forgetting about your feelings in all this."

"Shuichi," she began, thankfully remembering to use his human name.

"Shh, let me finish," he said putting a fingertip to her lips. "I want to do this the right way, starting with asking you to marry me here in front of our friends and families, so Higurashi Kagome would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" he asked slipping the simple pear cut diamond band onto her slender finger.

"Are you sure?" she whispered tearfully looking deep into his gold tinged eyes. He nodded and she smiled before nodding with him, "Okay, I mean, yes, _yes_, you foolish fox!" she squealed jumping into his arms happily so quickly that he almost toppled backwards with her.

Not far from them the large gathered group neither of them noticed had gone silent for his proposal suddenly erupted in cheers. Wide eyed Kagome looked over at the cheering crowd full of her family and new friends and even spotted a teary eyed Shiori standing next to her mother. Using his unusual strength he lifted her onto their feet just as the fireworks began in the sky causing the ground to glow with multicolored lights. Kagome locked eyes with Kurama before she crushed her lips onto his. Inside she felt that the missing piece of her heart lock back into place and the darkness clouding her mind seemed to vanish.

Kurama pulled away when he felt his demon energy recede into his soul to hide behind his human shell. Looking down at his mate in his arm he realized she was glowing faintly pink under the surface of her skin. She gasped clutching her stomach as it seemed to grow with the return of her powers. Yukina was quick to rush to her side at that point sensing what others could not before the crowd to swarm them with well wishes. Kurama helped Kagome to sit heavily on the bench as the glowing of her skin faded almost as quickly as it had begun. Yukina replaced his warm hands with her cool touch, feeling out the energies of the kits as she had grown to know them, but as she quickly realized one of them had changed.

"Kagome both your kits have human forms," Yukina whispered with a smile. "From the feel of it she still has the ears and a tail though, but her aura is strong, like her sister's."

"That's wonderful!" Kurama smiled looking down at his mate proudly.

"You know we really need to come up with names," Kagome replied thoughtfully realizing it was getting hard not to tell them apart without having to refer to them by their traits as either demon or human.

Kurama nor Yukina got a chance to say more as the first of the crowd began to swarm them happy for the newly engaged couple.

* * *

Authors Notes:

Sorry about the late update and as an apology I wrote two chapters in one day to be posted today! Yay! Next chapter will be posted after I get off of work tonight, but I must warn you it's a bit... depressing, to say the least. I don't know why that chapter came into my mind, or why I wanted to follow an uber happy post with... that... but I did and that's how it shall be! Mew-Ha! I've decided that at the end of the story I'm going to post the inspirational playlist that this work of fiction was inspired into being with for those of you who are interested in that kind of stuff. I always listen to music when I read to set myself in the mood of the book or story so I guess it's really only logical that my mind works that way as well.

Anyhoo, I just wanted to give a big thank you to all those who have reviewed! It really makes me feel so loved! DOMO ARIGATO! MUCHAS GRACIAS! MERCI! AND ALL THAT OTHER JAZZ! MUCH LOVE TO Y'ALL!


	9. Dearest

It was late when everyone left the shrine to their respective homes happy and excited for the upcoming wedding. Even Shiori was excited to begin making plans for her future daughter-in-law as well as the grandchildren. The night was unusually warm for the season especially when sitting next to a bonfire and so Kagome had taken off the outer layer of her hanfu which her mother had taken inside with her when she and Grandpa had went to bed about an hour after everyone left, leaving only Kurama's closest friends and Souta around the dwindling fire.

"So that's when I told him I might actually take the lecherous monk up on his offer," Kagome finished with a laugh. "He sputtered for a moment before disappearing up a tree and it took me a good long while before I was able to get him to speak to me on decent terms again."

"Isn't that when you introduced him to beef flavored ramen?" Souta asked with a chuckle remembering the halfbreed Inuyasha fondly.

"Yeah," Kagome sighed. "I eventually ran out of new flavors to win him over with and when we added Shippo into the mix we fought a lot more."

"Shippo?" Keiko questioned curiously sitting next to Botan in a folding lawn chair.

"Shippo's my adoptive son," Kagome admitted softly. "I've lost touch with him since being forced back here, but hopefully I'll find him soon."

Kagome didn't notice but it didn't slip past Kurama watch that Koenma seemed to shift uncomfortably at the mention of Kagome finding her surrogate son. He only half listened as the talk turned to her other adventures with her old pack and her training as a priestess which she would resume now that her powers were back under her control again and not locked away in her soul. He only snapped out of his thoughts when she showed the girls a piece of her power and level of control by forming a solid sphere and making it zoom around the courtyard like an amusing fairy. The girls giggled when both Souta and Kuwabara ducked the harmless ball before Souta swatted it away.

"So you were powerful, well I mean I guess you still are, now that you've got your powers back?" Yusuke asked from his spot on the ground on the other side of Kurama who was sitting next to her in a lawn chair while she laid out resting on a lounge seat.

"I'm no Midoriko, but yes, from what my teachers have told me, I'm one of the most powerful to live since her time," Kagome answered modestly. "Others would tell you I'm a bad priestess because I don't live to kill demons all the time and whatnot, so really I couldn't tell you. I just know that I can take care of myself pretty damn well if you'd like to spar sometime when I'm not a hippo."

Kurama sighed and put his hand over hers, "You're not fat Kagome."

"Psh, yeah right, I grew at least six inches around in the past two hours!" she protested. "I'm huge!"

"Hey Yukina, why is it the other baby assumed a human form now?" Botan asked curiously interrupting the fight before it could get any further.

Yukina looked up from her small plate of sauce-less hot wings in her lap that were leftover from the feast earlier (though why one of her favorite non-traditional dishes was a formal traditional dinner she didn't have the faintest idea), "It's not unheard of completely but it is certainly a rare occurrence, but what I believe is happening with the children is that instead of the inherent powers of their parents being blended they've split into each of the girls, however, what _is_ unusual is their appearances."

"How so?" Kurama asked sitting up straighter in his chair.

"Well the smaller of the two is still the girl who has taken on the physical demon traits of her father, however the girl who looks to be completely human is the one radiating the demonic aura," Yukina explained honestly. "Since Kagome had her powers locked away, my theory is that they weren't feeding the baby like they should have been, resulting in the child's fainter aura and her smaller appearance."

"Well at least you won't have to pass her off as a household pet now!" Botan joked.

Kagome and a few others laughed while Kurama leveled a unamused gaze at the air headed grim reaper turned personal assistant.

"So people said you were a bad priestess just because you adopted an orphan demon child?" Keiko asked thoughtfully still getting used to the idea of a time traveling priestess. "Isn't that a little harsh?"

"Well you have to look at the frame of mind of the people, Keiko," Kurama began to explain. "At that time demons lived just to torment the humans so for a priestess to raise a demon who could potentially turn on them and kill them, rape their women, and pillage their lands was just like committing the act herself."

"Wow, but Koenma didn't you say you found records of a fox named Shippo?" Botan asked looking at her boss curiously when he shifted nervously again.

"I did, but I think I would rather talk to Kagome alone about that," he said standing. He reached out his hand and motioned for her to come with him, "Come take a walk with me and we'll talk."

Kagome didn't say anything, but allowed Kurama to help her up before she took Koenma's hand and allowed him to lead her away from the group and over towards the main shrine. If she didn't know any better, she would say he looked nervous and with the way his aura was shifting she could tell that his news wasn't going to be good.

"Kagome," he began uncertainly. "I've been looking in almost all of my spare time in an attempt to help you find your son and I've found out quite a bit, but I'm not so sure you're going to to like it."

"Just tell me, Lord Koenma, I'm certain that whatever it is, it wasn't your fault," she assured him with a smile.

He returned it with a shrug before tucking his hands into the sleeves of his kimono, "Shippo grew up with Kurama just until the time of the Great Separation, which was when Spirit World as led by my father came in and segregated the demons from the humans into two separate realms. Because Shippo was raised by a human he could imitate a human appearance for long periods of time therefore he eluded capture and relocation for a very long time, until he finally settled down into a human village where he met a woman," Koenma paused and took a deep breath, exhaling it before exhaling and continuing. "This is where the records start to get a bit fuzzy, but he had children with the woman and when the eldest came of age he used his demon powers, alerting spirit world immediately that demons were loose in the human realm. A team was dispatched to relocate the demons and were surprised to meet a full blooded demon as powerful as Shippo when defending his family. A very long fight ensued and he took out a good many men before he was brought down, but in the end..."

"In the end what?" Kagome asked quietly.

"In the end the officers were given instructions to kill him."

Kagome gasped her hands flying to her mouth in some unspeakable horror as she took a step away from the ruling lord. Tears filled her eyes and she found that for a moment she couldn't stand to look at the man in front of her. Kurama must have been watching them because within seconds he was at her side trying to pull her into a protective and comforting embrace but she pushed him away in favor of her anger rising to the surface.

"You mean to tell me you killed my son for _defending _his family?!" she hissed her blue eyes beginning to glow slightly with her warm power that made Kurama uncomfortable being so close to her.

Normally he knew that her powers had three modes that she could switch between easily. Defense, which was essentially neutral neither hurting a being nor making him feel very welcome, offense, which was what she was doing now aiming to number one intimidate and or hurt someone, and finally she could use it much like a calming drug to heal the body and soul of the being she was in direct contact with. Her eyes were the first to show a high use of her power, but even so, Kurama had only seen her become this way once or twice and only when a demon was threatening her son or any other member of her pack for that matter.

"Kagome, please understand that at the time I was still only in the processing department and had no knowledge that any of this was being done unjustly. Everything was done under the rule of my father who at that point no one suspected his prejudice or that he was doing anything without right cause!" Koenma protested.

"Oh, so it wasn't your department to deal with huh?" she sneered a few tears escaping her eyes and flowing down her cheeks. "What a load of crap! You must have worked in the customer service department too, right?"

"Kagome, he's telling the truth, Koenma was still processing souls whenever _I _was working for him and only recently has his fathers exploits come to the light of day. Spirit World is _still_ dealing with the fallout of how deeply his father wronged demons, but he _is _trying to make amends," Kurama defended taking Kagome by the shoulders and turning her to look at him in an attempt to calm her.

"How can you never notice something so terrible happening right under your nose like that?!" she cried out jerking away from him again. "Why the hell would you have to separate demons and humans anyway?! I've known many good demons like my son, like Kouga, and Jeneji, and even you! Yes they've all had their faults but that's not because they were demon! Lord knows I've know just as many corrupt humans as well!" turning back to Koenma she paused only to regain control on her newly released powers before they lashed out at her mate beside her. "What happened to the rest of my pack?"

"Your pack?" Koenma questioned in confusion looking to Kurama to clarify.

"Her family, the people she lived with back in the Feudal Era," Kurama explained flatly, not taking his eyes off of the enraged Kagome.

Behind them the rest of the group was standing to see what was going on. Yusuke and Yukina were the first to edge towards the trio, having been listening in with their exceptional hearing. Yusuke waved to Yukina to sit back down with the other girls and Kuwabara. She nodded before turning back and motioning for everyone to sit back down. She knew that if things got out of hand that the boys would quickly settle things, but she didn't know how well Kagome's body was going to handle not only her enraged state but the added stress of her pregnancy.

"I'm not entirely sure about everyone, but I do know that Kouga relocated without much of a fuss, as did a toad named Jakken, a flea demon you may have knew, and a famous demon blacksmith, though from what I've heard he passed away of old age a few decades or so ago," Koenma answered carefully.

"What of my older brother?" she practically growled much like a dog demon herself as her aura carefully wrapped itself around her. "What of Lord Sesshomaru?"

"Older brother?" once again Koenma was confused and looked to Kurama for assistance.

"Since she was under the protection of Lord Sesshomaru's younger brother Inuyasha, upon his death Sesshomaru was honor bound to protect her by demon code. At that time she had already been the caretaker of Rin, Sesshomaru's ward and adoptive daughter therefore Sesshomaru simply took Kagome in as his sister and honored her as such," Kurama explained with the same flat tone of voice.

"Where is he?!" Kagome demanded stepping closer to Koenma.

Koenma swallowed for once almost as afraid as he was of his father, "Spirit World prison."

"WHAT?!" she screamed grabbing the ruler by the collar of his kimono before Kurama could restrain her. "How dare you?!" she seethed. "What was his crime? Existence?"

"He killed a small group of humans and attacked several of the SDF," Koenma answered shakily.

"Why?" she hissed.

"I-I-I don't know," he stammered as Kurama stepped forward and pulled her away from the visibly shaking lord. "Something to do with rights to a human girl."

"Rin?! So you imprisoned him for protecting his only daughter?!" she demanded loudly, fighting against Kurama to release her. "You fucking arrogant asshole!"

"Kagome, calm down," Kurama ordered sternly.

"No!" she snapped. "I will not calm down until what is left of my family is returned to me!"

"What do you mean?" Koenma asked taking a step back away from the fuming woman.

"Take me to Sesshomaru, I want to see him for myself," she said finally stopping her struggling and pinning Koenma with the fiercest glare humanly possible.

He nodded and motioned for Botan to join him, "I can only take you and Kurama so the others will have to wait here, in fact taking the two of you is pushing the limits of security."

"I don't care, just take me to Sesshomaru," she stated coldly as Botan jogged to Koenma's side.

"Botan open a portal for us to return," Koenma ordered quietly.

"Yes sir," Botan nodded and making a quick motion with her hands a swirling vortex between time and space was opened in the side of the shrine house.

Kurama let Kagome go once Koenma had disappeared followed closely by Botan and was quick to grab her hand instead as she followed directly behind Botan. He was sure that Yusuke had heard everything and would tell the others why they were suddenly disappearing, that is if they were unable to hear for themselves. They appeared on the other side in Koenma's office within seconds of stepping into the portal and Kagome had to take a second to gain her bearings from the swirling of magics in order not to become sick. Striding around to reach for a drawer behind his desk Koenma grabbed a set of keys and a blue key card before motioning for everyone to follow him.

"Botan call security and let them know I'm taking two people with me to Sector E of the prison to visit prisoner S13845, please so we don't run into any trouble," he asked when Botan move to follow them as well.

She nodded with a quick, "Yes sir," before moving back towards the desk while the rest of them walked out of the room.

Kagome couldn't think let alone see anything but red in her vision, she never would have gotten this mad before especially when Kikyo had the portion of her soul that housed such emotions, but there was nothing higher on her list of despicable deeds than the mistreatment of others because of what they were made of. She knew Sesshomaru had been a ruthless killer in the past, but only when he was threatened or provoked, for the most part. He wouldn't slaughter humans for fun because to him that served no purpose. Humans were neither challenging nor threatening therefore he would have no reason to kill them. He especially didn't kill humans needlessly after he began caring for Rin out of respect for those like her. She just simply couldn't believe that Spirit World could be this cruel to innocent beings demon or otherwise.

Koenma had led them deep into spirit world, deeper than what even Kurama had been held at for the theft of the forlorn hope. Every so often the would come to a door that Koenma would quickly unlock that would lead to a flight of stairs and after doing this a total of five times they were finally in the last and smallest of the cell filled rooms. Kagome used her sleeve to cover her face from the smell of rotting flesh and feces as she entered the despairing room though she was quick to fan out her senses for Sesshomaru's familiar aura which she found glowing faintly in a cell in the middle of the bottom row to her right. Without warning she pulled her hand away from Kurama and rushed to the cell with Koenma following quickly behind her.

"Kagome, wait!" he called in warning but she didn't listen.

A guard tried to rush and stop her from his post near the cell she could feel Sesshomaru inside, but she used a quick jolt of her power to toss him to the side easily. Kurama couldn't help but appreciate again the fact that she was his mate and not his enemy especially when the guard hit the ground on the second level above them where more guards like him were watching down on them cautiously. When she reached the bars of the cage she wasn't surprised to see the amount of magic it took to keep the powerful demon lord restrained.

"Open it now!" she commanded sharply never taking her eyes off of the crumpled shivering mass in the dimly lit corner that she could just barely make out.

"Kagome, this prisoner is a dangerous one!" Koenma protested. "He'll attack you on the spot!"

Kagome turned sharply towards him, her robes billowing out around her as her body began to glow in such a fury that not even Kurama had seen her in even as Youko. At that moment he knew why demons in the Feudal Era feared her. She wasn't just a priestess, nor was she just a woman, she was _the_ woman, _the_ priestess, _the_ protector of the Shikon Jewel, _the Shikon no Miko._ He knew if he moved towards her now in an attempt to restrain or calm her with her powers so close to the surface of her body that he would be injured be it intentionally on her part or not. This woman was protecting her pack in the only way she knew how and it seemed that even Koenma felt it as he hurried to open the door to the dark dank cell and both of them stood back as she rushed inside and knelt at the fallen lord's side.

"Sesshomaru," she called out softly, her body lighting the room enough that she could barely make out Sesshomaru's face amongst the matted and practically brown hair and rags that had become his clothing. "Sesshomaru, can you hear me?"

"Rin?" he croaked out his golden eyes finally opening slowly, but he shied away from her brightness.

"No, it's Kagome, your younger sister, do you remember me?" she asked gently using her aura to create soothing waves instead of burning purification.

"Kagome?" he asked as though testing the name out on his tongue for the first time as a child. "Sesshomaru remembers Rin because Rin is Sesshomaru's friend, do you know Rin?"

Kagome, already fighting tears had to swallow a few times before she trusted her voice enough to speak again, "Of course I remember Rin, do you know why you're here Sesshomaru?"

"Sesshomaru does not," he said in his child like voice with a heavy sigh. "I miss Rin."

"I know sweetheart," Kagome comforted. "Why don't we get out of here and you can tell me all about Rin? What do you think of that, hm?" she asked in a sweet voice willing herself not to cry.

"Y-Y-You can't take him out of here!" Koenma protested loudly causing Sesshomaru to jump and attempt to push himself further into the corner. "He's committed a serious crime that in all reality should have received the death penalty for!"

Kagome stood back up quickly stepping in front of Sesshomaru protectively, "I don't give a damn, you disgusting bastard!" she shouted back earning her a few gasps from the nosy guards still watching them. "I'm taking him into my custody and out of this hell hole you consider a prison!"

"Under what authority?!" he demanded angrily. "Even under my own rule I am not allowed to remove him from sentence!"

Kurama cautiously took a step back as her aura flared forward dangerously, "Under the Spirit World Construction Act of 1532 that states that Spirit World stays out of all the affairs of humans."

"But he's a demon!" Koenma pointed out obviously.

"Yes, he is, but I'm not and under these circumstances I am the ruling Lady of the Western Lands as the only remaining heir to the kingdom," Kagome answered coldly. "Lord Sesshomaru is obviously in a state not fit to rule his land, therefore as his younger sister it is for me to rule over it's property and people, including Sesshomaru which means since I am human and the territory is now ran by humans in the _human_ world you will release this former Lord into my care and trust that his sentence will be carried out as we see fit."

Koenma sputtered for a moment, truly afraid to let a demon as powerful as the sadistic Sesshomaru out into the human world but Kagome didn't give him a chance to let him deny her as she bent back down, determined to carry the weakened demon out herself if she had to. Kurama didn't say a word, having his own feelings over the murder of his mates son, but instead stepped past the speechless ruler into the cell to help his mate. Sesshomaru was confused and hunched back from Kurama at first but Kagome was quick to reassure him.

"Sesshomaru can walk," Sesshomaru insisted in his small voice that made Kagome want to cry all the more.

"Okay then walk with me so we can get out of here," Kagome replied with a nod, "but Kurama is going to help me walk with you because I get tired easy."

"Really? Is that 'cuz you got a baby in your belly?" Sesshomaru asked as Kagome helped him stand up shakily.

"Yes, I have two babies in my belly actually," Kagome answered as happily as she could thankful he could at least recognize that about her, if nothing else.

"I have a little brother that grew inside a human belly," Sesshomaru said clutching onto Kagome's arm as he began to walk slowly out of the cell. "Mother says that she's a whore, but I think she's nice and I can't wait to have someone else to play with!"

"Really? Does your mother not like humans?" Kagome asked hoping to keep him talking and calm until they could get him home.

Sesshomaru shook his head as they finally moved past the defeated spirit ruler, "No, but I don't know why. Humans are funny and interesting to watch. Rin's a human."

"Yes she is," Kagome agreed. "Do you remember what she looks like?"

"Yep!" Sesshomaru said happily while Kurama followed them close behind to make sure neither of them fell. "She has long brown hair and the prettiest brown eyes, kind of like yours."

"What do you mean?" she inquired further, her body still glowing as she used herself to send calming energy into Sesshomaru knowing that the state he was in from what she little she knew of psychology was very unstable and she needed to keep him calm.

"Well you both sparkle and are very pretty," he replied shyly a light blush spreading over his cheeks. "Rin loves flowers, do you like flowers?"

"Very much so, roses are my favorite, do you have a favorite?" she smiled up at him as they reached the stairs.

"Any flower picked by Rin is my favorite," he giggled.

If Kagome wasn't so upset by the sorry state Sesshomaru was in she would have been a little more perturbed by a giggling powerful demon. They made it about halfway up the stairs before his weak legs gave out on him but he at least let go of Kagome before he toppled backwards into Kurama who was already expecting his fall and caught him easily. Gently Kagome convinced Sesshomaru to allow for Kurama to carry him, piggy back style so they could go home more quickly. Reluctantly Sesshomaru agreed and soon they were on their way back out of the dungeon like prison. Koenma followed them silently a few feet behind them as Kagome and Sesshomaru chatted about different things from Rin to her funny dress and to where exactly home was. Kagome told him all about her own mother and brother and their warm home.

Botan was there when they finally exited that horrid place and with one sad look from Kagome and a polite request from Kurama she made them a portal back home. Just as when they left they stepped out beside the shrine and Sesshomaru clung all the more to Kurama at the new sights and smells of Kagome's home, but Kagome was quick to reassure him with a soft touch and a warm smile with her calming aura still surrounding him. The gang was still waiting for them only inside the house with Kagome's worried mother, but Kagome didn't say anything to them with only a look on her face that said she would talk to them later as she led Kurama up the stairs to put Sesshomaru in her room with her. He sat the man child in the floor and Kagome gently pushed him back out of the room until she reached the door before placing her fingers on Kurama's forehead. He allowed her access to his mind when he felt her prodding with her powers carefully.

_"I'll be able to take care of him from him, but will you go explain what's going on to Mama and the others? I'm sure they're worried," _she said in his mind.

_"Yes, but are you sure it's safe?" _he asked worriedly putting his hands on her waist.

_"He's too weak to be able to seriously hurt me,"_ she replied sadly. _"Not to mention when he's back to normal I highly doubt he's going to want to remember that I helped him let alone someone outside of the family. Just trust me in this, my sun child."_

"I love you," he said giving her a comforting smile. "Be safe."

"Always, love you too," she replied before turning back to her newest charge who was watching her curiously.

"Okay, Sesshomaru, we're going to take a bath, is that okay?" she asked.

"A bath? Like in a hot spring?" he asked hopefully his eyes lighting up.

"Sort of," Kagome nodded. "Come and see, and we'll start to get you cleaned up, how's that?"

"Okay," he nodded letting her help him stand and lead him across the hall into their spacious bathroom.

"Before we get into the bath we're going to have to take off you clothes and I'm afraid we're going to have to cut your hair. Will you let me do that?" she asked carefully shutting the door behind them and locking it making Sesshomaru nervous again.

"Why do you want to cut my hair?" he asked pitifully.

Kagome smiled and put her hand on his arm gently pouring more of her soothing aura into him to clear away the nervousness she could see in his eyes, "Because it's too tangly and dirty because someone didn't help you take care of it and I won't be able to get it all out."

Sesshomaru thought for a moment, folding his arms over his chest in a pout, "I guess so, but Mother says I'm really not supposed to. She says it's a sign of how important I am that I'm allowed to grow it out when others aren't."

"Well she's right, but I bet she also helped you take care of it so you wouldn't have to cut it right?" Kagome asked carefully motioning for him to sit on the small stool she had pulled out for him.

"Yeah, Mother always loved to play with my hair and she would sing to me too," he said wistfully. "Could you sing to me, Kagome?"

"Of course, what could you like to hear?" she asked opening one of the drawers under the sink for the pair of scissors she knew her mother kept in there.

"I dunno," he shrugged. "Anything I guess."

"Okay, then how's this, _hontou ni taisetsu na mono igai subete sutete, shimaetara ii no ni ne, genjitsu wa tada zankoku de,sonna toki itsu datte, __me o tojireba, waratteru kimi ga iru," _she sang softly touching a hand to his shoulder lovingly before moving to carefully cut what was once his beautiful mane.

_itsuka eien no nemuri ni tsuku hi made_

_dou ka sono egao ga_

_taema naku aru you ni_

_hito wa minna kanashii kara_

_wasurete yuku ikimono dakedo_

_aisubeki mono no tame_

_ai o kureru mono no tame dekiru koto_

_deatta ano koro wa_

_subete ga bukiyou de_

_toomawari shita yo ne_

_kizutsuke atta yo ne_

_itsuka eien no nemuri ni tsuku hi made_

_dou ka sono egao ga_

_taema naku aru you ni_

_deatta ano koro wa_

_subete ga bukiyou de_

_toomawari shita yo ne_

_tadoritsuitan da ne_

She sang softly and beautifully as she worked and Sesshomaru found himself closing his eyes and relaxing under her gentle hands. Before he knew it she had finished and as she continued singing softly he only barely realized that she was making her own hot spring on command in the large metal tub in front of him. He kept his eyes closed unless he had to move which was only to help her undress him and then to get into the warm water which he did so gratefully. He wasn't even afraid when she was forced to drain the water from the amount of dirt and filth that came off of him after only a few minutes. Frustratedly she removed her second robe after fighting with the sleeves, leaving her in only the strapless gown as she adjusted the water again to the right temperature, this time using the movable shower head to spray off as much of the grime as she could before lathering up a washcloth and soaping him down.

Her body protested to the amount of work and she did her best to make herself comfortable for her kit's sake, but she absolutely had to help the poor man in front of her. He stayed relaxed as she sang through the soft song a few times for him slowly all the while using her aura to help him. After some scrubbing she was finally able to make out his markings on his face and wrists before working her way further down. Had it been any other circumstance she was sure she would have been embarrassed to be washing a full grown man as he stood in front of her naked as the day he was born, but as it were she treated it just like she had when giving Shippo or even Souta their baths when they were little. Granted there were a few key differences between the small boys and the fully grown Sesshomaru before her, but nevertheless she continued, saving his newly cut hair for last.

Once she was certain of his cleanliness everywhere she had him sit back down in the tub letting it fill with the warm water to further relax him, now humming to him quietly. She gently wet his head and set to work massaging the last of the filth out of it, happy to see that in the very least he hadn't developed lice or in his case, fleas, or any other infestation. All in all, it had taken her a little over an hour but Sesshomaru once again resembled Sesshomaru as she knew him, albeit with short hair. She helped him dry back off before wrapping a towel around his waist and leading him back across the hall into her bedroom.

"I'm going to get you something to wear to bed, will you be okay in her by yourself for a few minutes?"

"This Sesshomaru will be fine," he replied almost sounding like his old self had it not been for the boyish grin he had as he flopped down onto her bed happily clean.

She smiled and shook her head before slipping off to Souta's room next door to the bathroom. Thankful that her mother had recently bought Souta new underwear she snatched two pairs of the freshly laundered dark undergarments before also snagging a pair of red cotton pants and a tank top, or wife beater, as Souta referred to them as. She was back across the hall in just a few moments only to find Sesshomaru sitting in her window, the towel still wrapped loosely around his waist, thoroughly enjoying the warm breeze. She smiled and watched him for a moment, amazed at just how much 500 years had changed him. 500 years of pain and solitude in a disgusting dungeon for no other reason that the very fact that he was a demon and somehow less superior to everything else in the world.

Shaking her head she moved and called Sesshomaru to her to get dressed before she moved to change herself. Since she didn't really want to go to the other room she just slipped on a simple white nightgown over her dress before slipping the formal gown off and laying it over the side of the crib and then climbing into bed. He watched her with curious eyes from his window sill perch and she only smiled at him before patting the bed beside her. He hesitated for only a moment before he was under the covers with her and snuggled into her side like a small child again. Silently she let a few tears slip from her eyes as she kissed him softly on the forehead when he almost immediately fell asleep. Once she was sure he was out for the long haul she too allowed herself to finally drift off holding him close, vowing to never let any of her family slip away again.

_It would be nice if we could put away and throw out_ _everything except what really mattered, but_ _reality is just cruel._ _In such times,_ _I see you laughing_ _whenever I close my eyes._ _Until the day I reach eternal sleep,_ _that smiling face will_ _have to stay with me without fail._ _People are all sad, so_ _they go and forget, but--_ _For that which I should love,_ _For that which gives me love, I will do what I can._ _Back then, when we met,_ _it was all awkward._ _We went the long way, didn't we?_ _We got hurt, didn't we?_ _Until the day I reach eternal sleep,_ _that smiling face will_ _have to stay with me without fail._ _Back then, when we met,_ _it was all awkward._ _We went the long way, didn't we?_ _We got there in the end._  
_Dearest – Ayumi Hamasaki_


	10. Hemorrage

Morning came softly over the sunset shrine. The nearby city was waking slowly with it and the normal sounds were harsh and unwelcome against a certain pair of sensitive canine ears as he sat propped up on the window sill of the only room that didn't have such an obnoxious odor as to make him wish to cut his nose off rather than be force to inhale such scents again. He was mildly surprised to find that the room was filled with very few adult things when he awoke, but instead filled with things for an infant, until he realized he that he was cuddling with his pregnant younger sister. Needless to say, he was quick to remove himself from that situation before his dignity could be compromised further, but he slowly came to realize he hadn't a shred of dignity to claim to his name. Nearly 500 years of torture had robbed him of that and turned him into a child again, and he would have remained that way had it not been for the young woman sleeping peacefully in the bed beside him.

He could only assume that she had spent the whole night with him mending his soul with her powers for him to regain a lucid thought process again. Part of him wished he had stayed in that cretinous state if only so he wouldn't be forced to remember everything that had brought him there in the first place. He studied her pale form as she laid uncovered in the growing light of the sun and understood that she was indeed telling the truth when she explained that she wasn't from the same era that he had met her in. She hadn't aged since he had last seen her, her ebony hair still shone with the same blue undertone, and her frame was still small and well toned despite the swelling of her abdomen with her children. She seemed almost like an angel in her flowing white gown and he found himself much like a pup wanting to just curl up with her again, and so he did.

He had nothing left to pretend for anymore. It was likely that what was left of his family was killed after his fall, and time had taken care of the only other person he cared for so what did it matter that he, Sesshomaru, Lord of the West was curling himself into the side of a human woman? He gave up. In his mind, he quit. He quit caring. Quit pretending. Quit everything. Life no longer held purpose, therefore what did it matter that he acted like a pup again? Kagome shifted next to him and wrapped her arms around him pressing a light kiss to his forehead.

"Good morning," she whispered. "How are you feeling?"

"Like shit," he responded coldly. "How do you think this Sesshomaru would feel, woman?"

"Like shit," she responded bluntly. "But I'm glad to see that you're at least back to normal-ish."

"This-" he paused and shook his head flopping onto his back. "I don't give a damn anymore."

"I wouldn't either, hell, there for a while when I came back here to find out everyone I knew was gone, I didn't, but then I figured out that the one night I had with Youko, knocked me up so I had to just find something else to give a damn about," she replied softly moving closer to him so she could put her head on his shoulder.

"Hn," was his only response. "The only thing I cared for time if not that damnable Spirit World took care of so I fail to see your point."

She sighed, "My point is that we're still stuck in this life for a reason and you'll just have to face the fact that you'll eventually find something else to care for just as much as Rin."

"You assume much, woman," he said flatly running a clawed hand through his now short hair while his recently regrown arm wrapped around her comfortingly.

"She's all you would talk about last night," she whispered and he looked down at her when he felt a wetness on his shirt. "I'm so sorry, I don't even know what happened to her, or anyone else for that matter because of that damn jewel. I should have stayed, I'm sorry, God I'm so sorry," she cried burying her face in his chest.

He sighed turning so he could pull her to him as she sobbed, "It wasn't your fault, Kagome," he said forcefully. "It was my own selfish decisions that caused my incarceration."

When her crying began to slow he continued, "Rin grew up into a beautiful woman and I found myself desiring her more than just as a daughter. She loved me so fully that she was actually relieved when I finally approached her, but at the time Spirit World had already begun rounding up all the lesser demons and relocating them to this new world. I took her despite that and a few months later she became ill and went to visit a medicine woman in a nearby village. She was with pup and the men of the village feared her because they knew she was with me and sought to bring her harm. I simply stepped in and after that Spirit World attacked me."

"What happened to Rin?" Kagome asked looking up at him tearfully.

"I sent her away," he said. "What became of her after that, I do not know."

"I'm sorry," Kagome shuddered. "I should have never come home."

"Woman, you couldn't have stopped an entire realm of spirit beings," Sesshomaru growled.

"I know but I could have helped somehow, I could have at least saved my son," she said before breaking down into another fit of tears.

Was there no despicable level that those buffoons wouldn't stoop to? He remembered her kit as being more human than demon always protecting the innocent. He waned to kill something, but instead pulled her close and buried his head into her hair willing the world to disappear. Life was a bitch.

"Kagome?" there was a soft knock at the door. "I'm coming in."

A moment later her mother poked her head inside the door surprised to find her daughter in the arms of another man. She stood there for a moment before she noticed Kagome was still shaking while Sesshomaru only glared at her for intruding. It took Kagome only a moment to pull herself together enough to face her mother with a red nose and puffy eyes.

"What do you want Mama?" she asked softly with a scratchy voice.

"I didn't know if you would be up yet, but Kurama is downstairs waiting to see you," Mrs. Higurashi answered. "Should I send him up?"

Kagome cleared her throat and sat up wiping her tears away with one hand, "Yeah, of course."

Mrs. Higurashi turned and left as Sesshomaru rolled out of bed returning to his perch in the window. Another time and another day, would they have to themselves, but as she said life goes on. A few moments later he was surprised to see a red headed feminine looking boy a few years younger than Kagome herself enter the room. They smiled at one another before he came and sat down beside her in the bed.

"I was afraid you wouldn't be awake yet," Kurama said as he placed his hand on her leg.

"I just woke up a few minutes ago really," she replied. "What are you doing out so early? Don't you have class today?"

"Kagome it's Saturday," he reminded her. "I was worried about you after what happened last night."

"Oh, well I'm fine as you can see so no worries!" she said happily. "Though I'm glad you're here, because I'm going to have to take Sesshomaru shopping."

"Shopping?" Sesshomaru questioned with a raise of his eyebrow.

"Yeah, since you're going to be living with me, you're going to have to wear clothes, you know. I can't keep stealing my brothers things," she explained looking over at him.

"We won't be able to afford to set you up with the finest of clothing, like I'm sure you were used to before, but we'll get you the best of what we can," Kurama said reassuringly.

"I had money hidden away many years ago," Sesshomaru replied thoughtfully. "Perhaps it may still be there and I would be able to help."

"That would be amazing," Kagome said. "But I doubt any of your kingdom remains."

"It was something I hid from everyone, as an emergency stash," he said. "In fact, I hid it magically near your old village right by an old dry well."

Kagome froze before slowly turning to look at him, "Are you serious?" she squeaked.

"Yes, why? Do you know where that is?" he asked slightly confused by her surprise.

"Of course I do!" she replied quickly. "It's right outside! I can't believe you would do something like that!"

"Why?" he asked folding his arms over his chest. "It wouldn't be someplace I wouldn't normally hide things so it seemed logical."

"Nothing is that easy," Kagome muttered getting up out of bed to stand beside him at the window. "That's the dry well over there," she said pointing the small building out against the tree line on the other side of the courtyard. "Think you can still find it?"

"Of course," he said before leaning over and letting himself fall out of the window.

Startled Kagome gasped and looked down to see him land on the ground easily before looking up at her with an upraised eyebrow, "Jesus! You could have warned me before you gave me a heart attack you big jerk!" she half shouted down at him.

"I wasn't aware that you needed to be reminded of who you were dealing with, woman," he replied before walking away.

Kagome sighed muttering about stupid egotistical demon men before turning and grabbing Kurama by the wrist to lead him out of the house to follow Sesshomaru. Her mother called out to her but she was ignored as they went out the door barely pausing for Kurama to slip his shoes back on while Kagome continued out barefooted. Sesshomaru was already using his poison to draw glowing archaic symbols in the concrete when they arrived and after a few more careful and precise strokes until a strange glowing green circle surrounded it and he stepped back. Even after all she had seen in the past Kagome still felt as though she were seeing something straight out of final fantasy as a few more circles appeared and they began twisting and turning in the morning light all different colors as though they were unlocking a great vault. She was surprised however when just a small chest materialized out of the ground where the bonfire had been the night before. Sesshomaru stepped up to it and walked back over to Kagome before handing it over to her.

"I have a few more stores like this around my territory, though, I don't know their worth here in this modern era," he said watching as she carefully took the top off examining the coins inside.

"Well, we don't use this currency anymore as far as the coins themselves, but just the gold alone in here will make you a small fortune," she said slightly in awe. "My goodness Sesshomaru, you really were loaded, weren't you?"

He scoffed, "This was a very small fraction of my actual wealth."

"Yes, his treasury was filled to the brim with mostly gold and jewels," Kurama agreed looking over the condition of the coins. "But the question is will these coins bring us more for the material their made out of or their historical value?"

"Kurama I don't want to know how it is you know what his treasury looked like, but as far as historical value we can always ask my Grandpa. You'll be able to tell by his reaction at just how valuable it is," she said taking out a silver coin before putting the lid back on top and turning towards the shrine where she knew her Grandpa would be.

The boys followed behind her as she approached the old man just stepping out from the shrine, "Hey Grandpa, look what I found!" she called before tossing him the coin.

Grandpa caught it clumsily in his hands before opening them to get a good look at the small minted coin. He gasped and sputtered for a moment as he looked between Kagome and the coin in his hand. Kagome smiled and without waiting for his reply turned to Sesshomaru with a grin on her face.

"He's speechless. It's worth a lot," she said certainly.

"Then it will help you purchase clothing and defray my living expenses?" he questioned seriously.

"Uh, no, this will buy you an entire K-Mart and set you up for life," she replied bluntly. "Let's go get dressed and then we'll go to the museum and talk to the curator about just a few of them and keep the rest for savings."

Sesshomaru shrugged and headed back to the house ahead of Kurama and Kagome who would undoubtedly take the long way by walking through the entire house to reach her bedroom whereas he intended to go back the same way he left. Humans, when left to their own devices, would always take the long way and destroy all that they had created in the name of civility and progress. Kurama felt much like a rag doll as Kagome dragged him through the house again, ignoring Mrs. Higurashi and her orders to stop and eat breakfast. He was slightly confused when instead of going up the stairs she turned down the hall to the left of the stairs and walked into the laundry room to pick out a few of Souta's clean clothes that Mrs. Higurashi had started yesterday when hunting for Souta's hakama. Sifting through it quickly to attempt to find something that would fit the overly tall demon from her comparatively short brother's clothing. Finally she decided on a pair of tan cargo pants and a blue and white plaid button down shirt she was sure he would have to leave open.

Kurama only followed as she rushed back up the stairs with the clothes in her hand before bursting into the bedroom the coins in the little bamboo box jingling as she went. She laid out the clothes on her bed for his inspection, setting the box beside them, before turning to her own closet.

"Ah, crap!" she cursed upon fingering through her wardrobe.

"What's wrong?" Kurama asked stepping back up to her side.

"Well, now that I'm bigger again there's only a few things that will fit me now," she pouted. "Oh Sesshomaru, the bathroom is right across the hall so you can change there, but I would suggest leaving your tank on and just wearing it under that button down."

Sesshomaru nodded thankful that he didn't need Kagome's help again. When he returned a few minutes later and tossed the red sleeping pants on her bed she was thankful to see that the pant fit him like kapris so he didn't look so odd, though she realized that she would have to style his bed head, or perhaps... she looked towards Kurama and his obviously well cared for mane.

"You look great, aside from the bed head," Kagome began when Sesshomaru looked at her expectantly. "Kurama do you think you could help with that?"

"Yes, anything in particular in mind for him?" Kurama asked with an indifferent shrug.

"Uh well, I was thinking spiked and styled to be messy without the bed head," she replied putting a hand to her chin and the other on her hip before she threw her hands in the air. "I don't know, jeez Kurama you're supposed to be the guy here."

Kurama laughed at her motioning for Sesshomaru to follow him, "Yes master, forgive your ignorant servant."

"Damn straight, now hurry up," she smiled shutting the door behind them.

Kurama was dressed nicely today so she figured she would match him with what little she had to choose from. After a little debate she pulled out a pair of black stretch maternity dress slacks with a flared leg and a deep forest green shirt with a cowl neck and elbow length sleeves. Normally she hated showing the fact that she was pregnant, but looking at her basketball sized belly, she realized with some reluctance that she didn't have a choice anymore.

"Why couldn't you two make your mama less fat," she growled looking down at the kits inside her who just began moving around letting her know it was time to eat. "Yeah, yeah I'm going so just chill."

Kurama and Sesshomaru were just exiting the bathroom when she stepped out of her room with her peep toe flats in her hand. Looking over at Sesshomaru's shaggy silver hair that was now carefully sculpted so that it laid messily towards his face laying just off of his forehead.

"Looks good," she nodded before heading downstairs towards the smell of breakfast. "Grab a few of each of those coins before you come down for breakfast."

"Is she always this busy?" Sesshomaru asked watching the hungry pregnant girl disappear.

"I think she's avoiding the fact that she's upset," Kurama replied with a sigh, running a hand through his own loose locks. "Koenma informed her yesterday that not only had Spirit World imprisoned you, but they had also killed her adopted son, Shippo."

Sesshomaru didn't reply but merely nodded his head turning and going into the bedroom to retrieve his stash of reserved funding. Kurama waited until he had returned before going downstairs together. It seemed that almost every time he turned around his family was growing. Inside he could feel Youko becoming slightly frustrated with the newest addition that Kagome would no doubt insist stay with them until he was able to be on his own, which given Sesshomaru's vast lack of people skills and loss of power would leave him with them for a good long while. He couldn't really blame Sesshomaru for the circumstances thrown at them, however, he was good and mad at the situation.

Kagome was happily munching away on a piece of toast when they walked into the kitchen and her mother had already made sure there were three plates filled with good smelling food including the one in front of Kagome on the table. She motioned for the two men to join her daughter while she stood at the stove making more for the two Higurashi's still yet to make their appearance.

"So what are your plans for today?" Mrs. Higurashi asked stirring the pot of miso while the rice cooker bubbled away beside her.

"Well, Sesshomaru has a few old coins from the Feudal Era that we're going to sell to the museum so he can help take care of himself and then we're going shopping," Kagome said after swallowing the last bite of her buttered toast.

"I was also wanting to see if you wanted to speak with that contractor," Kurama added taking a sip of his warm tea before picking his chopsticks back up.

"Can we afford to build?" Kagome asked quietly looking at him seriously. "I mean, I know you don't have a job because of school and I don't make that much not to mention I'll be out of work soon."

"I thought I had already taken care of your money concerns, priestess?" Sesshomaru said with a raise of his eyebrow as he gracefully ate his bowl of white rice.

"Right, but that's your money Sesshomaru, I could never just take it let alone ask for it," Kagome said shyly, blushing and looking back down at her scrambled eggs.

With a slight sigh Sesshomaru set down his bowl before he reached out and lightly smacked Kagome in the back of the head, startling the poor girl with a yelp, "What would I spend it on if not on you as you have taken on the role of my caretaker until I am able to resume my status as lord, little Miss Lady of the West? Under that title any of the money I have hidden is yours not my own."

"Well I don't think like that and I only claimed to that title to get you out of that damn prison," Kagome practically growled back.

"Kagome!" Mrs. Higurashi snapped. "You still live here and will watch that potty mouth, mother to be or not."

"Yes, mama," Kagome pouted sinking lower into her chair, now digging into her rice.

"Perhaps we can decide what to do with the money once we find out exactly how much we'll be earning from the museum," Kurama suggested. "However I think we should seriously consider building a home since we now have two kits as well as an entire surrogate family to care for."

"I hardly think Sesshomaru counts as an entire surrogate family," Mrs. Higurashi commented looking at Kurama strangely.

"No, but there's also Hiei who needs a place to stay when he visits from Demon World and Yukina has recently approached me hinting about wanting to move out of the Kuwabara's, so needless to say, no matter what we're always going to have a full house, with or without children," Kurama answered seriously. "Not to mention, we honestly don't know how much more of Kagome's old pack is still out there in hiding."

"I didn't think about that," Kagome said sadly. "We're going to need a mansion by the end of it all."

"I fail to see the down side of that prospect," Sesshomaru smiled with a raise of his eyebrow sipping his miso soup. "After all the ruling family of the West has always lived in wealth and opulence."

"Of course you wouldn't have a problem with it," Kagome sighed glaring at the skinny demon next to her. "I bet you're used to living in a freaking palace right?"

"Prior to my unjust incarceration, yes," Sesshomaru nodded proudly.

"Well that's just great princess, but I haven't so a huge house is a bit of an extreme for me," Kagome huffed setting her now empty bowl on her empty plate and picking up her tea.

"Just because you were raised in less than-"

"Sesshomaru I wouldn't suggest biting the hand that feeds you," Mrs. Higurashi said with a smile turning the stove off and taking the lid off of the rice cooker.

Kagome snickered behind her cup earning her a flat look from Kurama sitting across from her, "Kagome be serious for a moment, we need to decide on what it is we want in a home before we see the contractor so we don't appear as unprepared as we might really be."

"All right, all right," she sighed watching her mother leave the room to wake her brother. "I accept the fact that our house is going to be huge, so I hope to high heaven that you're going to be making enough to hire a maid or something to help me clean."

"Great now are there any requirements you have about the home itself?" Kurama prodded further picking up the now empty dishes and piling them neatly on his own.

"I want our own bathroom, I hate sharing one. I want a large dining room like the size of my dining room and living room put together, so we can have big group dinners," she answered thoughtfully watching him take everything to the sink, "And I've always wanted an office space."

"An office space?" Kurama questioned with surprise.

"Yeah," Kagome blushed lightly. "I've always liked to draw and paint, but I never had a place to really do it before so it would be nice to have a space to do that."

"I never knew," Kurama admitted with a nod. "All right, then we'll all go to the museum and then you two can go shopping while I set up and meet with the contractor?"

"Sounds like a game plan to me!" Kagome smiled standing back up. "Let's go!"

Kurama looked after her with a small smile that was quick to fade when she was out of sight. She was hurting and he knew it, but it was something that would have to wait. There wasn't a doubt in his mind that she was just too headstrong to allow herself to break down while there were others to be cared for. It was just her way, after spending so many years as a pack mother caring for everyone she knew though at times he wished she would allow him to care for her instead especially while being pregnant with multiples. It wasn't healthy and he knew she would make herself sick if she didn't calm down.

Sesshomaru wordlessly followed after her without enthusiasm, leaving Kurama to pull up the rear. In his mind he decided that if they were going to be moving outside of town and having such a large family, that they would have to invest in a larger vehicle, though he was thankful that the one he had now though, very small at least had four doors. Sesshomaru ended up practically laying out in the back seat in order to fit as they made their way through the busy holiday traffic to get to the museum a few minutes away. He parked as close to the building as he could in the large nearly empty parking lot and was quick to get around to open Kagome's door while Sesshomaru studied the surroundings half interested. Kagome, however marveled at the beautiful statues that adorned the entrance of the museum and held tightly onto Kurama's hand as they entered.

"Hi! How may I help you?" a cheerful girl asked when they approached the information desk.

"Well, I'm not sure if I've come to the right place, but you see, my family runs a shrine and while we were doing some landscaping around our home we were surprised to find a box filled with a few old coins and I'm pretty sure they date back to at least feudal Japan, so..." Kagome trailed off letting the girl pick up what she wanted from that.

"Oh so you think you've found something worth getting into the museum?" the girl inquired brightly.

"Yes," Kagome agreed with a smile. "Exactly, I mean if not I'm sure that I could sell them for their weight in gold and silver, but seeing as they looked to be like a priceless piece of history I wanted to be sure before I did such a thing!"

"Right, well I'll just page Ms. Yukimura and she'll be able to appraise your items!" the girl said before pressing a few buttons on the computer on the desk beneath them before reaching for the phone.

She spoke into her wireless headset to the Yukimura person on the other end and Kurama was curious to see if if this person was related to their friend Keiko. A few moments later a young periwinkle haired woman appeared underneath a pile of papers and carefully set them on the bubbly girls desk.

"Sukano, make sure these five files are sent to Mr. Wanatabe, these three need to be catologoed away, and this file is my lunch for today that I would ask that you please send to my office and not the break room as a certain gluttoness pig keeps picking through it," the woman said breathlessly before turning to the trio. "What can I do for you?"

"Shiori?" Kagome blurted eyes wide.

"Uh, do I know you?" Shiori questioned looking Kagome over before recognition dawned on her. "Kagome?! Holy crap!"

"Wow, you really grew up!" Kagome said in amazement, admiring the girls long lean golden body.

Indeed the girl, had of course grown up in the 500 or so years since she had last seen her after helping rescue her from her deranged grandfather. She stood before them in a pair of white and tan wedges that wound up her ankle in silky brown rope exemplifying her long lean legs bared all the way up to her mid thigh where it was once again hidden by her white pencil skirt while her black sleeveless high collared shirt hid the rest of her well endowed body from view. Kagome looked her over with envy as she rubbed her swollen belly.

"Well, yeah, it's only been like forever!" Shiori laughed. "Come you must have some interesting stories to go with those interesting artifacts."

"Oh, do I," Kagome agreed with a smile following the taller girl into the office she had just came out of.

"How the hell did you survive to get here?!" Shiori demanded almost as soon as the door was shut. "And where's Inuyasha?"

"It's a long drawn out story, but the cliff notes version is," she paused and took a deep breath before exhaling her story in one long breath. "I was pulled down a dry well by a demon centipede when I was fifteen because I was born with the Shikon Jewel in my body. I broke the jewel because of a stupid crow demon and then set off on a journey to recover the pieces with Inuyasha which is how I met the other two people I traveled with, but there was this evil half demon named Naraku who wanted to reform the jewel and use it to become full demon with a crazy plot for world domination. We ran into you because we were trying to strengthen the Tetsusaiga to defeat said evil mastermind demon thing which we did, but we lost Inuyasha in the process leaving me stuck with the newly completed jewel. Because I had the jewel, I met this thief who wanted to steal the jewel from me but we ended up falling in love, becoming mates before wishing the jewel from existence which then sent me back here to my own time like some screwed up feudal fairy tale!"

Shiori and even Sesshomaru stared at the now out of breath Kagome panting in the middle of the office floor, while Kurama seem completely unsurprised, "She does that sometimes," he said putting a hand on Kagome's back. "You were able to catch all that right?"

"Y-Yeah," Shiori stammered with a slight nod before she shook off her shock and walked around her desk. "I thought your dress was strange until I moved back here and saw that it's what all the school girls wore and I figured something like that must have happened to you, though I never could be sure, but anyway, what brings you to my museum?"

"Oh, Sesshomaru has these that we would like to sell if they're of any worth to the museum," Kagome said motioning for Sesshomaru to bring forth the coins.

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes at being ordered around, but did as she said nonetheless. Shiori's eyes widened greatly when she saw the small pile of five or six coins. Muttering to herself she reached out and took the shiny coins from his hand gently. Before laying them out on her desk and snatching up her magnifying glass and inspecting them carefully.

"Coming from you I know their authentic, but still, this is amazing," Shiori said in amazement. "These look like they've been just minted!"

"They were just before I put them away, for emergency use, much like the other stashes I have across the convenient," Sesshomaru said easily.

"Well if you're looking for a lot of money out of these, then I wouldn't suggest selling all your stashes at once, but I can talk to the museum head about these beauties right here. Give me a moment, and I'll go right now," she said taking the coins and her white half jacket with her as she rushed out.

Kagome turned and watched her leave rubbing a hand over her belly as one of the kits moved and kicked her roughly. Suddenly the dizziness that had effected her the day before came again darkening her vision before she was able to shake it off. Carefully she reached out for a chair and sat down heavily causing Kurama to watch her carefully.

"Kagome are you all right?" he asked taking her hand in his when she rested her hand in the palm of the other.

"Yeah just a little dizzy, I think, I'll be fine," she replied not taking her head out of her hand as she felt her cheeks start to flush a little with what felt like a hotflash.

"Do you need to go see Yukina?" he asked with growing concern.

"No, she doesn't need to be bothered by a dizzy spell, Kurama," Kagome sighed. "I've just been overexerting myself and after a quick rest I'll be fine, after all I'm used to much worse back in Edo."

"If you're sure," Kurama said reluctantly. "But I think it would be wise for you to see her soon, you look a little swollen."

"I knew you thought I was fat!" Kagome whined pulling her hand away from his.

"Kagome," he replied firmly. "I never said you were fat, I just noticed that your face seems a bit swollen compared to yesterday and I want to make sure you're not sick."

"Whatever," she groaned. "I still think that you think that I'm fat."

"Stop imposing your own opinions onto others, little sister, it is very unbecoming of you," Sesshomaru stated flatly.

"Yeah well you two try carrying around a bowling ball in your belly that bruises you every time it moves and then tell me how you feel, okay?" she growled finally looking up at the two boys.

"Great news guys! Yoshi, has offered you this much for the entire set!" Shiori smiled stepping back into the office wearing her half jacket and holding a folded piece of paper.

Kagome stood and took the paper from her feeling the dizziness returning but she forced her way past it and looked down at the amount written on the paper. Her eyes widened in shock and she opened her mouth to speak before a look of great pain creased her features. Kurama had barely the time to catch her before she fell to the ground while Sesshomaru was at her side just as quickly. She didn't quite understand what was happening as her world grew dark and she felt herself slip away and not from shock either.

* * *

Authors Notes:

Duh-duh-duhnn! Oh-noes! What's gonna happen next?!

Yeah I couldn't resist the cliffy, but good news is that the next chapter is already written and ready to be posted in the next couple of days. I wanted to really thank y'all for reviewing, because it's totally inspirational to me, especially the ones full of ideas and pointers. Special thanks to those who have been with me since the start, you know who you are, and if I could I would give you all a taco just to show you how much I love you, but alas, they have yet to make a cyber taco... *sighs*

Well I'm off to bed since I have to get up early for work tomorrow, but I will have the next chapter up ASAP! Ja-ne!


	11. 10,000 Miles

Soft voices awoke her from her impromptu nap and she struggled to bring her consciousness around to the surface to understand what they were saying. She felt the bed lean slightly to one side as some one sat down silently beside her and brushed her bangs from her face. The same warm hand gently touched the side of her face and she couldn't help, but lean into the touch with a whimper, slowly allowing her eyes to flutter open. She locked eyes with a pair of worried golden eyes being the only emotion shown on a cold stoic face of the demon lord leaning over her.

"You have finally awoke," he stated obviously. "You've had everyone worried about you, little sister."

"I'm sure they're in a right panic, huh?" she asked with a sigh, realizing that she was back in that room at the temple and the voices outside her door stopped almost as soon as she had spoke.

Not even a moment later as she attempted to sit up in the warm bed by herself was her mate sliding the door aside with a small clack and at her side to help her. She smiled at him while he breathed a sigh of relief holding her small hand in his own while the other hand cupped her face lovingly.

"We were so worried," he breathed leaning over to give her a kiss on the forehead. "I'm glad to see you're okay."

"I'm fine," Kagome said with a smile as Sesshomaru disappeared from her side to sit in a reclusive corner. "What happened?"

"You passed out," Yukina said walking around the bed and taking up the spot that Sesshomaru had just occupied. "I hate to tell you this, but you have almost all the symptoms of mild preeclampsia, so from here on out it's bed rest."

"What?" Kagome gaped. "What the heck is preeclampsia and I can't be on bed rest! I have too many things to do before the kits come to be on bed rest!"

"Kagome, calm down," Yukina soothed with a smile. "Preeclampsia is a fairly common condition that typically develops in the later trimesters of pregnancy. You may also know it as toxemia of pregnancy, but it's an immunologic rejection of the pregnancy, causing the body to have a hostile tissue-graft reaction to the babies. While the exact cause of this condition is unknown I think that you've developed it due to the amount of stress you've been putting on your body in the past few days especially combined with the fact that your human carrying half demon kits. As I'm sure you already know, halfbreed pregnancies hardly make it to term so you need to be especially careful when using your powers in such a draining way, like last night."

"I can't believe you spent an entire night healing a demon!" Kuwabara exclaimed from the open doorway. "That's pretty impressive considering you've only just gotten your powers back!"

"He's right, you should know better Kagome," Kurama scolded gently. "You can't exhaust yourself like that. The kits rely on you for more than nutrition and development, but also your energy."

Kagome sighed, "Look I'm fine, the babies are fine, everyone is fine! I did what I had to given the situation and there's no changing that!" she said sending a pleading look to Sesshomaru to save her, but he simply folded his arms over his chest. "So, I'm on bed rest, big deal? I'll just have to make due all over again!"

"Kagome it's not that simple," Kurama said sternly. "This is serious and could get worse than it already is."

"So yeah, sit there and make her worry about it is really going to help," Yusuke snorted standing next to Kuwabara.

"Yusuke, stay out of this," Kurama sighed glaring over his shoulder at the black haired man.

"Hey, don't get mad at him just because he's got a point that you don't agree with," Kagome snapped. "Look, Kurama, I understand, this sucks, I get it, but sitting there and freaking out over it isn't going to help the situation," she said more softly than before, putting her hand on his arm before turning to Yukina. "Is there anything else I can do to help?"

"You've got to go on a low salt diet and enjoy some peace and quiet, but other than that, there isn't much until you're able to deliver," Yukina answered honestly. "If it gets any worse then we'll have no choice, but to induce labor, but as long as you're doing as you're told I don't see us having a problem."

"Great, see?" Kagome asked looking at Kurama smugly. "No worries, I'll just have to get a baby sitter and lock my Grandpa and brother into a closet for the next couple of months."

"Well you could just come and stay at my apartment like we were originally planning," Kurama suggested.

"Yeah, but if I stay at home then Mama will be there to take care of me," Kagome replied with a shake of her head. "I'll just have to use ear plugs or something to relax with."

"Woman, this Sesshomaru will see to it you are taken care of at the fox's place," Sesshomaru said flatly. "You will stay where it's best for you."

"You're not seriously trying to pull alpha on me, are you?" Kagome questioned disbelievingly.

"This Sesshomaru does not try, only succeeds," was his only arrogant reply.

Confused Kuwabara looked the strange lanky man over, "What the heck is pulling alpha?"

"He's a dog demon," Yukina explained gently turning towards the ignorant boy. "Kagome and Sesshomaru are pack to one another and in a pack there is always one alpha and all others in the pack are forced to listen to that alpha or suffer the consequences."

Kuwabara couldn't help but laugh at the recently malnourished Sesshomaru attempting to pull alpha on a strong and powerful Kagome, earning him a glare and a low growl.

"Do you have a problem, human?" Sesshomaru asked threateningly.

"No, not at all," Kuwabara snickered.

"Sesshomaru, please don't maim the stupid," Kagome said with a sigh.

"Hey I resent that!" Kuwabara frowned.

"Come on buddy, let's go grab a beer," Yusuke said when he saw Yukina's shoulders slump slightly in agitation.

Kagome didn't miss how she looked gratefully at Yusuke dragging his orange haired best friend away, but she kept her comments to herself in favor of waiting until they were alone. She relaxed against the pillows as Yukina and Kurama discussed exactly what she could and could not do which was pretty much everything except going to the bathroom on her own which she was thankful for. Sesshomaru was watching them indifferently, but she knew that he was soaking up all that they were saying despite his outward appearance. Finally after a few more moments Yukina declared that so long as someone monitored her for the rest of the night that she would be okay to go home with Kurama. Kagome sighed with relief and moved to stand up only to be stopped gently in favor of being carried in Kurama's warm embrace. For the moment she enjoyed the pampering though, she knew by the end of the week she was going to be absolutely insane. When he had taken her back to the car, she put on her seat belt and turned with an apologetic look to Sesshomaru camped out in the backseat.

"I'm sorry we didn't get to buy you some clothes today," she said with a frown that earned her a very flat look. "Don't look at me in that tone of voice, mister! Ugh, what happened at the museum, then?"

"The halfbreed wrote you a check she said would take a few days to process at your bank, but otherwise shouldn't give you any problems," he replied shifting his gaze out the window dully where Kurama was discussing something with the dark haired boy from earlier.

"Do you know how much she wrote it for?" Kagome asked uncertainly.

"The same amount quoted on the slip of paper you fainted with."

"Jesus Pickles! That much?!" she shreiked causing Sesshomaru to flinch slightly. "Ohmygosh! That's like a million dollars!"

"Yes, I believe that's what Kurama explained to me," he nodded. "We've agreed that in exchange for my care and rehabilitation in to society that the money would be split. One half will be for you and the kits, the other half will be to cover my living expenses."

"Sesshomaru, I highly doubt your living expenses could ever amount to that much," Kagome said with a shake of her head. "Heck I don't even know if we'll be able to spend all of that, so I'm sure some of it will go into savings to draw interest and build us up a good retirement fund."

"Little sister, you are rambling," Sesshomaru said with a sigh.

"Sorry," she said as Kurama slipped into the car.

"Though I would make the suggestion that you invest in a larger vehicle," Sesshomaru added as an afterthought.

Kagome giggled, "I had already planned on it."

"What's wrong with my car?" Kurama asked as he started the engine.

"Honey, it's tiny, and we have a big family now," Kagome answered still laughing slightly. "I'm not going to attempt to fit both Sesshomaru and the twins in that back seat when Sesshomaru alone can barely fit."

"Then we'll just have to get you a van," Kurama nodded. "I'll still have to have something to get back and forth to work once I start at the company."

"So we're building then?" she asked hopefully.

"Yes, I spoke to the contractor that Hojo recommended and he gave us a very reasonable quote for a house as I described to him, though he said that could raise given how much land he and his team would have to clear," Kurama replied backing out of his parking spot.

"We're moving out here right?" Kagome asked curiously, looking around sensing for the first time the small demons and creatures hidden in the forest. "Well, I mean not right here, but somewhere out here right?"

"Yes," Kurama nodded. "We'll drive by our protion of land on the way back into town as a matter of fact and I think you'll like it."

"Really?" Kagome asked excitedly.

Kurama nodded and pulled out onto the highway. They didn't say much as Kagome just hummed with the radio. Sesshomaru was silent as always, but being ever so watchful. The world as he knew it had changed so drastically. He knew that he had been imprisoned for almost five hundred years for his pack sister to be here, but it hadn't seemed so long. In reality he knew this was because he was partially insane for the majority of his incarceration, thinking himself a pup again. Thanks to her, he was on the mend, but at what costs? Selflessly she had put herself at risk as she was prone to do, but at the same time she had put the lives of her children growing within her. Granted, that it wasn't a risk she was fully aware that she was taking, because knowing her, she thought her kits energy separate from her own.

So in all he couldn't fault her, but he certainly couldn't understand her either. Even when he first made her pack he didn't understand her. Her compassion for all creatures was so great that it often got her into trouble with those who she sought to protect, the humans. She cared for demon, human, and halfbreed alike, caring not for their blood ties, but for their souls, the essence that made them an individual. Which was how she had gotten herself transported back to this time where she was struggling to fit in, while the instincts that had been honed in the feudal era to keep herself alive told her everything was a danger. Mentally he rolled his eyes. That would be just like her to keep her real feelings hidden from everyone while plastering that infuriating fake smile on her face that he doubted even her mate had a hard time seeing around as he was.

Just like his Rin... He tried to shove the thoughts away before they could assault his mind, but he failed miserably. Her smiling face, her sweet laughter, her warm loyal nature. It seemed despite her rough childhood she was always so happy, especially when he came to love her. Unconsciously he tightened his fist damning himself for not being there for her. For not being able to save her, because of allowing himself one moment, one precious moment of happiness with her. She cried for him of course when they came to take him away for killing the pathetic mortals who would dare touch what was his. She pleaded for him, begged them not to take him away from her, she screamed and tried to fight them off herself when it seemed the fools weren't going to listen had he not been there to stop her. Knowing the fight would be futile and ultimately result in his loss, he had held her close in a rare fit of emotion that caused him to temporarily take leave of his senses. He had kissed her before sending her away on a cloud of his own power smiling at her happily, the only time in his life to have done so before facing what he thought would be his death. He fought until he was sure she was safe back at his palace, before unleashing his beast and taking down as many officers as he could until finally they took him down. He barely remembered being held on trial with the arrogant King Enma before he was beaten savagely while bound and then tossed into that damn warded cell.

Watching the budding trees as they passed he remembered the pathetic officers who would taunt him, until his beast raged and he charged the barrier keeping him sealed giving them the excuse to beat him mercilessly. He growled remembering the wards served a double purpose, to not only confine him but to also drain his strength and lock away his demon energy inside him, making even something so simple as using his poison claws useless. So lost in his memories he never realized that they had stopped until a warm hand on his leg and a soft voice brought him from his reverie.

"Sesshomaru, look we're here," she said with a smile that made his heart hurt.

He gazed out at the dirt road they were parked on on the crest of a hill over looking the outlying land with an uninterested expression. In truth he recognized this place even with both the natural and man made changes made to it. This was his home. For once since he had been out in the real world again he perked up looking around before he almost clumsily clamored out of the tiny death trap Kagome called a car. He sniffed the air tentatively, for just a moment before he took off like a shot into the woods. Before Kurama could stop her Kagome was out of the car, though she didn't go far, calling after him. With a sigh Kurama simply picked her up and carefully took off after the once mighty demon lord.

Wrapping her arms around his neck Kagome sighed, enjoying the rushing wind as it blew her hair from her face. The big difference between Inuyasha and Kurama that she enjoyed imensley was the grace with which they ran. Inuyasha had not a graceful bone in his body while Youko had always just screamed with nobility even in this form. Her trip was stopped short when they came to a large clearing with the decaying foundations of what looked to be a once great castle. Sesshomaru wasn't in sight but she doubted that he was very far away even without using her senses. The crumbling fortifying wall that was built around the compound was missing in places and though the huge opening frame still stood, the once carefully crafted doors were gone.

Kurama readjusted her in his arms holding her closer when she gasped before he stepped through the gate opening to see the full extent of damage of what he was sure was once the Palace of the Moon. The palace itself had been built on a grand hill that had been shaped into three round pavilions, each level holding another level of his palace, the dog demon family's original den before the elegant palace had been built by Sesshomaru's grandfather on top when their family had grown into a small army, though it was his father who took control of the territory, claiming it from the other feuding demon lords of the north and south. The Palace of the Moon had been once a center of all demon commerce for those of the Western Territory. With its towering pagoda structure it had been an inspiring sight of power, wealth, and elegance for all those who saw it while the vast landscaping inside its strong outer walls had been like the arms of a protective mother securing the inhabitants that had filled the valley with a feeling of safety.

Ahead of them they could see Sesshomaru standing where the pagoda palace had once stood. Over looking everything that was once his to protect and preserve. His hands became like fists at his sides and shook with fury at the egregious wrong he had suffered in coming to love something outside of himself. His eyes turned red as he snarled seeing for himself just how far he had fallen. He cursed his own stupidity, because despite his own strict code of honor he had allowed one simple human girl to cause the downfall of an empire. His face elongated where clothing had once adorned his body, fur took it's place. Where once stood a lanky and haggard man became a large shaggy white dog. He raged slamming his paws to the earth before circling the area his home had once stood while Kagome and Kurama watched from just inside the gates.

One girl, one human girl, one pathetic mortal had ruined him! Here he was with nothing! Weakened by years of malnourishment and ill treatment, a far cry from the Lord he once was! He howled to the setting sun, letting all those who could hear him know of his torment. It was enough to bring tears to the eyes of his pack sister and yet he found he didn't care. Nothing mattered without Rin to be by his side. Panting he collapsed on the top pavilion taking up almost the entire space with his enormous body facing the setting sun, his back to the rising moon. As much as he blamed Rin for everything, for his downfall, he loved her despite it. Whimpering, he realized that he hadn't lost everything when he was incarcerated.

He had lost everything when he lost her.


	12. Angel

Kagome was right.

She was right as she laid in the queen sized bed of a bedroom that wasn't her own.

She was right as she wanted to strangle herself with the near deafening silence.

She was right that she absolutely and utterly hated being pampered.

She was wrong about the time it took for her to get to this point.

Through her own force of will she was able to withstand the past two weeks of having either Kurama or Sesshomaru there to make sure she was taken care of. Kurama had put a TV in the room to stave off her boredom, but daytime television wasn't exactly known for it's eventfulness. She sighed and reached for the phone beside the bed that she had been metaphorically chained to, calling her only saving grace that she knew of. Sadly the only person that could save her from this predicament, was also the one who had ordered it in the first place.

The phone rang a few times before a voice finally answered, "Kuwabara residece."

"Um, is Yukina home?" Kagome asked hoping that she had dialed the right number.

"No she's at class right now, but is this by any chance Kagome?" the older sounding female asked.

"Yeah, sorry for bothering you," Kagome replied sheepishly. "You must be Shizuru, right?"

"No bother, I was bored out of my mind anyway," Shizuru replied. "I bet you are too, huh?"

Kagome sighed heavily with a groan, "You have no idea."

"I imagined as much, so how's about we help each other out?" Shizuru chuckled.

"I'm listening," Kagome replied with a smirk, already having heard stories about Shizuru's mischievous ways.

"You and I are going shopping," Shizuru said matter of factually.

"How do you plan on doing that?" Kagome questioned seriously. "I've got a watchdog on me that will only allow me out of the bedroom to use the bathroom and even then he's tailing me."

"I never said you had to leave the room," Shizuru chuckled. "I'll be over in a few minutes, don't go anywhere."

"Haha, real funny, wench," Kagome replied sarcastically just before Shizuru disconnected the line.

She hung the cordless phone back in its station and reached for the remote beside it. Turning on the TV she flipped through the channels for a moment. Finally she settled on a random cartoon, when Sesshomaru entered the room carrying her lunch. She pouted as he laid the tray on the bed beside her before taking up his usual chair on Kurama's side of the bed. Kurama had apparently prepared for her a very healthy lunch of rice balls, chicken stir fry in a white sauce, and her usual herbal tea made specially for her condition. Knowing she would only get chewed out if she didn't eat she picked slowly at the bland food while wishing for a grilled cheese and a big glass of soda, Dr. Pepper, preferably. Silently she wondered if Shizuru would be able to smuggle her a strawberry sundae, if she asked nice enough.

"If you do not eat, little sister, I will be forced to feed you like a small child," Sesshomaru said staring despondently at the television.

Childishly she stuck her tongue out at the well dressed demon pushing her tray away after snatching a rice ball, "I'm just not hungry today, for some reason," she said thoughtfully earning her a look that clearly said he didn't believe her. "I mean it. The kits are being quiet and I'm just not hungry as I normally am. I'm going to talk to Yukina later, so don't say anything to Kurama and worry him needlessly."

"He should be informed on the well being of his children," Sesshomaru responded with a raise of his eyebrow.

"Yes, he should, but if they're fine, then what he don't know won't hurt him," Kagome said sternly. "He's already been worried enough about me while trying to pass his finals at school. I know he says that he'll pass with ease, I also know that a lot of what he's learning is stuff that he couldn't have just picked up on in his old age."

"I do believe that you are the cougar in this relationship," he said smoothly, folding his ankle over his knee and resting his latest book about the modern era in his lap.

"Cougar?" she sputtered. "If I'm a cougar then what does that make Youko?!"

Sesshomaru uncharacteristically smirked, "A pedophile."

Kagome sat stock still in her spot sitting propped up by a multitude of pillows staring open mouth at him for a moment, "Oh, my, gosh. You just made a joke!"

"Was it bad?" he asked letting the page he was about to turn fall back from his fingertips.

Cracking up Kagome shook her head, "No, it was funny I'm just surprised to see you making a joke! The Great and Almighty Sesshomaru just made a joke!"

He sighed pinching the bridge of his nose, "Kagome, I am a far cry from almighty however great I may be and though you may think of me as unchanged from the expanse of time since we last met, I can assure you that this Sesshomaru is indeed not the same man as before."

"I can tell," she said flatly with a sideways look. "I think that's the longest sentence I've ever heard you speak."

He frowned and gave her an exasperated look before returning to his book. She leaned over to figure out what he was studying this time, to be surprised that it was Kurama's socioeconomic text book. With a shrug she sat back up going back to her mind numbing cartoon. In the past two weeks Sesshomaru had had his nose buried in either the HI channel or a random book that Kurama would get for him, and she had no doubt in his mind that he was already thinking about rebuilding his own empire within the modern era. Absentmindedly she began munching on her second rice ball when the door bell rang. Sesshomaru looked at her with a raised eyebrow to which she just shrugged, though she knew full well who was coming to see her.

Seconds later Shizuru entered the room carrying a large over the shoulder bag while a slightly peeved Sesshomaru followed after her. Kagome smiled brightly especially when Shizuru jumped into the bed with her.

"So you ready to go shopping?" Shizuru asked with a smirk.

"Kagome is under strict orders not to go anywhere," Sesshomaru stated coldly resuming his seat stiffly.

"I never said she was leaving the room Ice Pick so just chill," Shizuru replied flashing him a knowing grin. "But every girl has to have something to do besides suffer through day time television, right?"

Kagome nodded, "Oh yes! Please save me!"

Sesshomaru fought the urge to roll his eyes and sigh, but instead returned to his book assured that this strange woman wasn't going to be causing Kagome too much excitement. Propping herself up beside Kagome on the pillows Shizuru made herself comfortable before opening her black bag and pulling out a sleek laptop. Kagome looked at it in awe especially when it was placed on her lap with the cooling deck underneath.

"Your boyfriend got me this when I decided to go back to school," Shizuru explained pulling out the power cord next. "He said that he wished his parents had gotten him one instead of a car, so he figured it would help."

"He's such a sweetheart!" Kagome giggled opening the screen and pressing the power button. "So now I understand what you meant when you said we're going shopping, but is his internet wireless here?"

Shizuru nodded, "Yeah Kazuma, Yusuke, and I usually crash over here and have huge online battles, so we turned around and bought him a wireless router."

"Yep, definitely will need a huge house," Kagome nodded to herself earning her a strange look from Shizuru.

"Oh, I forgot," Kagome amended quickly. "Kurama and I are going to be building a house on the portion of land that Yusuke said was his from Master Genkai, and one of the discussions we got into was whether to make the house large to start with or small and add on as needed, but Kurama eventually won. He pointed out that this pack more often than not, stayed with him because he was the only one living on his own unless everyone crashed at the temple."

"Pack?" Shizuru questioned with an upraised eyebrow. "What are we wolves?"

Sheepishly Kagome grinned, "More like dogs, but yeah I think weirder than everyone else."

"For the most part you think more sanely than everyone else," Sesshomaru commented as the computer dinged signaling it was booted.

"You think that only because you're a dog demon Sesshomaru and you taught me," Kagome replied flatly. "By the way this is my baby sitter, Sesshomaru, Sesshomaru this is my new best friend Kuwabara Shizuru."

"Hn."

"Nice to meet you too," Shizuru snorted. "Has he been introduced to Hiei yet? Their vocabularies are remarkably similar."

"No, not yet," Kagome said shaking her head as Shizuru leaned over her to enter in her password. "I don't think even I've meet Hiei in a waking state."

"There's not much to meet," Shizuru shrugged, opening up her internet browser with a double click on on the icon that looked like an orange fox with flames for tails wrapped around a blue globe. "He's very short, both in speech and stature."

"Nice," Kagome said with a smirk when suddenly the phone began to ring startling her. "Holy crap! I hate that ringer!"

Shizuru only laughed as Kagome answered surprised to hear Kurama's voice on the other line, "Are you okay?" he asked in response to her curt answer.

"No the damn phone scared me!" she pouted. "Are you on break?"

"Yes, I was just calling to check on you. Did you eat?" he asked while Shizuru pulled up the Babies 'R' Us website.

"Yes mother," Kagome sighed. "Shizuru's here with me now, and we're going shopping!"

"She brought her laptop I assume?" he asked stealing her thunder from under her.

"Yeah, can I start getting stuff for the house or should I wait?" Kagome asked hopefully.

"You have the debit card and the floor plans?" he questioned to which she replied affirmatively. "Then I don't see why not, just try not to go over board."

"Yeah, yeah, just remember who you're talking to mister, I want an indoor swimming pool," she replied haughtily.

"Yes, I do believe we're having one built are we not?" he replied just as arrogantly.

She snorted, "I still think that it's a frivolous expense, but anyway, I'm going to hold off on getting more nursery things until after the baby shower next week so I'm mostly getting the things for the bathrooms, kitchen and bedrooms."

"Kitchen?" he questioned taking a drink of his bottled water as he walked on the outside path to his next class. "Shouldn't you worry about the living room first?"

"No, I like the set you have now," Kagome said. "I might get a few decorations, but that's about it."

"All right, have fun," he chuckled. "I love you."

"Love you too," she smiled. "Hurry home."

"Always."

Shizuru had already pulled up a different website having heard that Kagome was waiting to shop for baby things, which was smart, in her own opinion. Together they began to browse for all sorts of home interior things, including light fixtures. They talked animatedly, the occasional squeal coming from Kagome as she found something that caught her fancy. Eventually, Sesshomaru, stood and decided that perhaps it was best to leave the girls to their shopping. Kagome was obviously occupied which pleased him, so he was free to leave, the room at least. He had made it so far as the door when Kagome stopped him.

"Sesshomaru, where are you going?" she asked worriedly.

"To the living room, is there anything you require?" he responded turning towards her in the doorway.

"Some strawberries would be nice with cool whip," Kagome said snuggling down in her cocoon.

"We do not have such things," he replied knowingly.

"Well can you go to the corner market and get some?" she asked hopefully. "It'll give you a chance to get out of the apartment and get some fresh air."

"And leave you to run around unsupervised?" he scoffed folding his arms over his chest.

"Shizuru's here, Sesshomaru, I promise I'm not going to go run a marathon," Kagome replied with a roll of her eyes. "It's not like you're going to be gone for hours, just to the end of the street and back, won't take longer than twenty minutes or so."

He sighed, "Where is the money?"

"In the little jar by the door," Kagome replied with a smile. "Kurama always hides stuff like that there. You'll need about a thousand yen, but if I were you I'd take two just in case since strawberries aren't exactly in season."

He nodded and walked out of the room. Kagome continued her browsing but both she a Shizuru were listening intently for the sound of the front door shutting to signal his departure. A moment later the tell tale sound was heard and Kagome was quick to fan out her senses just to be sure it wasn't a trap. Feeling his retreating aura she grinned like a kid on Christmas and setting the laptop aside she threw her blankets off and stood up. Shizuru laughed looking at her strangely.

"Little excited there, aren't you?" she asked as Kagome stretched happily.

"Ugh, you would not believe what hell it is being confined to that damn bed!" Kagome sighed bending over to touch her toes as best she could. "What's worse, is it's more like a prison than anything because it's not like I get to have any fun in it."

"Aw, Red's holding out on you?" Shizuru teased.

Realizing what she said Kagome blushed, "Yeah, he thinks that it's somehow going to hurt me because I'm going to get so excited and what not. I may have only had sex one time, but..."

"Once you pop you just can't stop, right?"

Kagome grinned, "Exactly."

Shizuru followed her as she walked out of the room and down the hall to the kitchen where she began searching around for something, more appetizing than her forgotten lunch on the foot of the bed in the other room. Spying a jar of peanut butter she quickly snatched it out and grabbed a spoon. She had barely put the spoon in the jar when there was a loud crash of a window breaking in Hiei's bedroom. Confused the two girls looked between themselves before Shizuru took the lead and Kagome carefully followed after her, her powers at the ready, just in case.

"There's no aura," Shizuru whispered as they crept down the hall. "I bet Kurama just left a window open."

"There's nothing in that room to break aside from the window," Kagome whispered back still clutching her empty spoon, though she had left behind the jar of peanut butter on the counter.

Shizuru nodded at her before swinging open the door ready to fight, only to see the room was empty aside from the broken glass in the floor. Kagome felt herself go on high alert and was quick to push her energy into the spoon since it was all she had on hand. Her kits didn't move but she felt their uneasy energy rise inside her letting her know they were okay, worried, but okay.

"Shizuru, call for help, now," Kagome ordered before Shizuru could step inside the room any further than the doorway.

It was with startling realization that Kagome slipped back into her old habits of being in the feudal era, using the life and death skills that were still drilled into her head. She recognized this auraless aura. It was a fake aura, created by someone using a piece of the Fuyouheki stone. Shizuru looked at her strangely, noticing that the room was empty but stepped back anyway, noticing the cool calculating gaze Kagome seemed to have in her eyes. The Kagome as she knew her wasn't there anymore. The Kagome that stood before her was a cold and lethal, her skills honed by situations she could only imagine. With haste Shizuru moved back into Kurama's bedroom where the cordless phone was on the charger beside the bed. The door slammed shut behind her with force, but Kagome never took her eyes off the as of yet empty doorway in front of her. After a moment Shizuru began to pound on the door when she was unable to open it.

Shizuru wasn't one for panicking, but she also wasn't a fighter either, so she hadn't been in a situation where they were under attack. In fact the only real battle she had been in with a demon had been in the dark tournament all those years ago when she beat up the ticket scalper. Fumbling with the phone she shakily called the first number that came to her mind. Yusuke's.

In the hallway Kagome stiffened stepping to stand directly in front of the doorway when a sinister laugh echoed from inside the room. A moment later a small demon peeled himself from the wall directly above the doorway to drop down with his back to her.

"Goodness you haven't aged a day," the dark haired teenage looking boy said without turning around. "I'm not surprised, though, because of your unique time jumping skills."

Finally he turned around and Kagome was startled by his blood red eyes that seemed to pierce into her soul. He was almost an exact copy of Naraku in his final disguise as the sickly human lord. He stood before her in pair of black slacks and a turquoise silk left half unbuttoned and showing quite well the firm contours of his chest. He smiled a wicked half smile showing his sparkling white fangs quite nicely in the sunlit room as he stepped towards her.

"Do you know who I am?" he asked as though he were a long lost son come home.

"I know who you look like so that leaves me with only a few choices," she replied calmly as she heard Shizuru talking to someone in a panic.

"Good, I'm glad to see my father's face hasn't been forgotten," he chuckled darkly placing his hands on either side of the door frame to lean just a bit closer to her. "So then you know what it is I want from you?"

"Revenge," she shrugged, folding her arms over her chest. "I knew you'd find me sooner or later after I got your last little message, Katsuro."

"Oh?" he smirked arrogantly. "I had hoped you were smart enough to figure things out, though undoubtedly your new family wasn't as understanding as you had thought, hm? I bet they didn't even figure out you knew me even though you always were a poor liar."

"Things change, but you would know all about that wouldn't you, traitor?" she sneered.

He leaned back placing a hand to his heart hurtfully, "Ouch, your harsh words wound me dear priestess. I am nothing but a simple man avenging the slaughter of my family."

"Your family were murderers!" she hissed glaring at him. "Your father killed for sport and manipulated people for entertainment!"

"Well," he shrugged, "at least I know where I get my talents and my good looks from, but you can tell me more about my father later, for now, you're coming with me."

"Like hell," she snorted with a roll of her eyes, still standing in front of the door.

He grinned like a Cheshire cat and reached out for her only to be shocked by a pink barrier just on the inside of the door. Growling he pulled his hand back and stepped away only to have to dodge the swing of a sword a moment later. Both he and Kagome were surprised to see Hiei seemingly appear out of thin air in a fighting stance his sword pointed dangerously at Katsuro.

"This isn't the last priestess," he snarled locking eyes with Kagome. "I will have my revenge, mark my words."

Hiei didn't have a chance to strike again before Katsuro reached behind him and threw a smoke bomb to the floor. Kagome was thankful she had left her barrier up, though the smoke cleared relatively quickly. The room was left empty save for the short forbidden child in the middle of the room with his sword still drawn at his side, respectfully he slid his sword home before turning to Kagome. She was shaking visibly now and he felt her barrier flicker before dissipated as she fell backwards on the wall before sliding down landing hard on her bum. Hiei watched with concern as she shuddered, her memories attacking her mind so harshly that even he could feel them.

Her aura pulled into herself and he felt himself pulled along as well from the violent force as he stood just a few feet from her. He watched as she relived all the painful memories the face of that boy had brought to her. He watched as she wandered through graveyard after graveyard built with her own hands and the hands of her surrogate family, as she helped to bury mutilated bodies of men, women, and even children. Watched as her friends were sliced to pieces in too many illusions for one woman to see and come out of holding onto her sanity. Watched as she was helpless to save the man she loved trapped in the abyss of the jewel. Watched as she was abandoned by the people she had practically died to protect when she needed them the most, though she waved them off with a smile. Watched as she tried to end her own life...

Fighting for control the entire time Hiei was able to finally able to pull himself away from her mind with a painful cry as he collapsed to his hands and knees panting with the effort and the pounding pain in his own head. He glared at her only to see that she was still lost, her sparkling blue eyes clouded over, unseeing as she stared at the floor in front of her. He clutched his head between his knees feeling his body already slick with sweat as the pain intensified with it the realization that a part of him was still stuck in her mind, feeling the same pains she did. This was how Shizuru found them in the hallway when she was able to wrench the bedroom door open.

Not knowing what else to do, she kneeled beside the quivering Kagome and shook the poor girl calling her name trying to rouse her from her stupified state, but she wouldn't come to. A moment later the front door was opened with force enough to bang off the wall behind it as Kurama, Yusuke and Sesshomaru arrived, but still she didn't break from her trance. Shizuru explained what happened in a frantic voice, while Hiei growled feeling the pain in her mind intensifying the longer she was inside her self. Kurama spoke softly to her, but still she didn't rouse. Sesshomaru slapped her, but still she didn't respond. Yusuke cussed at her, but still... she never reacted until finally... a voice appeared.

Hiei felt the pain begin to receed with the sound of that soft yet rough voice calling the priestess' name. As the voice grew louder and firmer so did a ball of light that floated down from the ceiling. Slowly a body began to form kneeling in front of Kagome's shivering form. Sesshomaru's eyes widened with recognition and tears began treking their way down Kagome's face while Shizuru quickly backed away from the sight. Kurama too fell back as the body finally took solid form at the same time the pain stopped.

Kagome cried out throwing her sobbing self into the arms of the apparition before her.

* * *

Mew-hahahahahaha!

I is da sheep!

Eh, back story to that... ANYWAY~! I couldn't help but end it here. The next chapter is going to be so much fun! Though I've broken my own rule and haven't even started it yet! Gah!

Just because I feel that it's important, I wanted to explain my story playlist. As I've said before I'm mostly inspired through music and as such each chapter has a theme song that also serves as it's title, for those who haven't noticed, or in case I haven't mentioned it... my apologies if I have. Well long story short, I wanted to post the playlist in case y'all wanted to have a listen.

Probably Wouldn't Be This Way - Leeann Ryhmes  
Lightning Crashes - Live  
You Were Meant for Me - Jewel  
Everything You Want - Vertical Horizon  
Save Me From Myself - Christina Aguilera  
Vanilla Twilight - Owl City  
Field of Innocence - Evanescence  
Down [Candlelight Remix] - Jay Sean  
Dearest - Ayumi Hamasaki  
Hemorrhage (In My Hands) - Fuel  
10,000 Miles - Mary Chapin Carpenter  
Angel - Sarah McLachlan

Well there you have it folks, new chapter will be up in the next week or so. Questions? Comments? Feel free to drop me a line via a review or PM, I check on those things daily. Thanks for reading so far! Ja!


	13. Understanding Wash it all Away

Kurama smiled to himself as he drove home. He was happy and relieved, more so than he had been in the past few weeks. He had explained his current situation to his teachers and they were more than willing to allow him to take his finals early given his exceptional GPA. In other words he was done with schooling aside from the actual graduation. His robes had already come in and were waiting for him to do the walk three weeks from tomorrow in his closet already pressed by himself, much to Kagome's dismay since he hadn't let her help out around the apartment at all. Her mother visited often in the past two weeks, and often had helped him cook Kagome healthy and low sodium meals that further tormented his very pregnant mate.

Though, he had accepted her role in his life in the week before he had formally asked for her hand, the thought of him being a father still escaped him. Everything was just so surreal to him still. Granted, everything was happening rather quickly. He had met with the auburn haired contractor to discuss everything they wanted in their home and the man was true to Hojo's words, beginning work almost immediately with his team on clearing their land not far from where the Moon Palace had once stood. Kagome had suggested the location herself, later confiding in him later that she was full aware that Sesshomaru was already _"plotting to take over the world,"_ as she put it and she wanted to be close to him for their protection as well as his. He shook his head as he spotted the short haired demon walking down the street towards the apartment with a grocery bag in hand.

"Kagome having cravings again?" Kurama asked out his open passenger side window with a smile, pulling up to the curb.

Sesshomaru nodded, "The Kuwabara woman is encouraging her childish behavior."

"Shizuru is just trying to cheer Kagome up in her own strange way," Kurama replied as Sesshomaru slipped into the car, his knees touching the dash.

"Hn."

Kurama shook his head as he waited to pull back out and they sat in silence for a moment before Sesshomaru spoke firmly, "I am honor bound to tell you that I approve of your union to my sister, though I fail to see how it would matter as you have already pupped the woman without my consent."

"I apologize for the rash actions of my youth, Lord Sesshomaru," Kurama replied seriously, "and as futile as your approval may seem to you, it does mean a lot to me and Kagome."

"Take care of her or I won't hesitate to end you, fox," Sesshomaru growled glaring at the red head from the corner of his eye.

"I wouldn't expect it any other way," Kurama nodded pulling onto the street only to have to slam on the brakes again as a bike went streaking past him.

"Do people always drive so stupidly on those motorbikes?" Sesshomaru asked blandly.

"I think that was Yusuke actually, but why would he be speeding to my place like that, unless..."

"Kagome!" they chimed and like a streak Kurama was after Yusuke and quickly gaining on the small street bike.

Yusuke was quick to whip his bike around just short of Kurama's favorite tree and kick down the kickstand as Sesshomaru and Kurama pulled in and got out of the car. He was just pulling off his helmet when they stepped up onto the sidewalk beside him.

"Kagome's under attack!" Yusuke said getting off the bike and tossing his helmet onto the seat.

No sooner were the words out of his mouth, Sesshomaru was gone in a blur of speed to rival Hiei's with Kurama and Yusuke hot on his heels. When they entered the apartment nothing seemed out of place aside from Kagome and Shizuru on the floor in the hallway. Sesshomaru was quickly at her side with Kurama right beside him as Shizuru explained frantically. Kurama took note of Hiei and realized that he was being effected by Kagome through the Jagan somehow judging by the way the smaller demon was clutching his head and sweating.

"Kagome, sweetheart, it's okay, you're safe I'm here," Kurama called touching Kagome's cold cheek, but she didn't so much as move to acknowledge him. "Hey, basket case, get a hold of yourself!" he smiled despite the worry on his face.

"Move," Sesshomaru commanded knowing exactly what she was doing.

She had been the same way when she had lost his brother, but was unable to pull herself out of it until the jewel had returned to her. He worried that now, as before, she would go insane if not die altogether if she were unable to pull herself out of the mental breakdown. The firm sound of flesh meeting flesh echoed in the hall as he placed a strike to either side of her face, but still she didn't respond. True terror gripped his heart then, because without her, he would be returned to Koenma, but also his last link to Rin. Kagome was the only one who understood his pain and what he was going through. As much as he didn't like to admit it, he needed her.

Behind them Yusuke began cussing in earnest, "Damn it! Kagome get your ass up and pull your shit together!" he yelled amidst a string of other profanities aimed at the stupefied priestess.

Kurama's heart clenched in fear as Hiei began growling outwardly glaring at Kagome, obviously not happy with the amount of pain he was in. They were all startled though when a soft voice called out to Kagome, that halted Hiei's growls. Kurama watched as Hiei slowly began to release the tension in his body until he was distracted by the glowing orb of a soul descending through his ceiling. The bright light of the spirit forced the people crowded around Kagome to back up just a bit as a body began to solidify.

Soon triangular dog ears could be made out followed by long flowing silver hair to match his own, pulled back with a simple black clip away from a youthful face. His eyes began to widen slowly as more recognizable features could be seen. A flowing formal kimono spilled out onto the floor around the man over his muscular yet lean form and it seemed that as soon as he stopped glowing Kagome had awakened throwing herself into the waiting arms of his half brother. Kurama looked up at Sesshomaru obviously confused while Kagome's sobs began to fill the crowded hallway. Of course Kurama wouldn't recognize the man now soothing his mate as he was the only one to hold her heart before him.

"Kagome, shh, love, it's okay," Inuyasha whispered as she buried her face into his neck, knowing that more than any other memory she had, it was the one of his death that tormented her the most. "Kagome, calm down wench!" he commanded gently.

"Love?" Yusuke choked out. "Who the hell are you?!"

"Silence halfbreed," Sesshomaru snapped as he stood, glaring at the dark haired boy just behind him. "That is my brother to whom you speak, and you of all should have more respect for the deceased."

"Wow, Sesshomaru, if I didn't know any better I'd almost think you cared," Inuyasha teased softly still rubbing small circles on Kagome's back.

"Things change little brother, but do not be fooled, this Sesshomaru isn't above defeating you once more to remind you even in death who is alpha of this family," Sesshomaru replied looking down on his finely dressed brother disdainfully.

"Yeah yeah, keep shoving that icicle up your ass, ya cold hearted bastard," Inuyasha replied with a roll of his eyes. "I'm not allowed to fight while I'm here anyway, as much as I would like to remind you of what a real ass whooping feels like."

"Hn, you mean you'd like to try," Sesshomaru smirked.

"This Inuyasha doesn't try, he succeeds," Inuyasha mocked arrogantly.

"Inuyasha stop picking on Sesshomaru and Sesshomaru no maiming the stupid," Kagome said quietly beginning to control her fit of tears.

"Hey I resemble that remark," Inuyasha smirked looking down at her lovingly causing her to smile as she sniffled, reaching up to wipe her nose with one hand.

"You're an ass," she sniffled shifting uncomfortably before freezing all together.

"I have one yes and you love it so what are you complaining about?" Inuyasha responded.

Finally Kurama had heard enough, "Kagome, what's going on?" he asked confusedly.

"I'm not totally sure," Kagome replied sitting up carefully putting a hand on her belly.

"Ha! If you think I was going to miss this, then you're dumber that mangy wolf," Inuyasha laughed with Kagome still in between his knees.

"What is he talking about?" Kurama asked looking sharply at Kagome.

"Well I think it has something to do with the fact that either I've gone and pissed myself, or my water broke," Kagome replied seriously. "And somehow I'm pretty sure I'm going to go with the latter of those two options."

"Are you freaking kidding me?!" Yusuke asked in disbelief. "Did you do this to her, puppy ears?!"

Inuyasha frowned and glared at the boy who could easily pass for his incarnate, "I would never hurt my mate," he growled. "Now don't you have a midwife to go fetch?"

"M-mate?" Kurama stammered before shaking his head and pulling himself back together. "Kagome's only had one mate and that has always been me."

Kagome shook her head taking a deep breath as she felt her muscles slowly begin to clench, "I never told you," she began before the sharp pain of her first contraction cut her off as she began to breathe through it as she had coached so many other women.

"The reason why she is my pack sister is more so than my endowment of her title and rights as a member of my pack but also because my brother had claimed her before you marking her as his betrothed before he passed. In our tradition betrothed is just as good as mated without the physical contact," Sesshomaru explained simply. "However he is correct. The midwife should be fetched immediately and Kagome moved to a safer location such as your temple."

"I'm sorry," Kagome whispered as the strong contraction began to lessen. "I'm sorry, Kurama."

Kurama brushed her apology aside, "Now's not the time to worry, I'm sure you would like to change while I get your bag together, hm?" he asked with a smile helping her to stand.

Inuyasha stood with her and watched as Shizuru helped her into the bedroom to change while Kurama quickly turned into the spare bedroom/office space where he had her a bag of things already packed for her stay at the temple. Yusuke said his goodbyes and promised to meet them at the temple with Yukina as soon as he could once he busted her out of class. Kurama barely said a word to the obviously possessive half breed life like ghost in his hallway. Hiei was at his side in almost an instance when he walked back out and down into the living room to gather a few of his own things.

"She couldn't tell you fox," Hiei said in a hushed tone meant only for their ears though undoubtedly the other demons who were still waiting.

"She couldn't or she didn't want to?" Kurama questioned in the same hushed toned as he gathered up a few of his bills for his mother to take care of for him, placing them into a pile for her for later.

"You saw the result of her memories," Hiei snapped. "Something about the man who attacked her triggered a lot of her very carefully repressed memories, Kurama. Telling you about them would undo all the work she had done in keeping herself sane because it would mean she would have to relive everything."

"Was it that bad then?" Kurama asked with a slight sigh unplugging his phone charger from the wall by the door and slipping it into the duffel bag. "I take it you saw a good deal of those memories?"

Hiei closed his eyes still fighting to remove a few of the more painfully persistent memories from his mind, "I have seen and done awful things Kurama, but the things she's done and seen are things that could make a normal human insane let alone be strong enough to pull my eye into the thick of her mental breakdown."

Kurama looked at his long time friend slightly surprised. Hiei rarely spoke of his past, but to tell of its gruesome travels, so for him to compare Kagome's memories to his own was speaking wonders to just how horrid things in the feudal era must have been for her. He looked to the hall where likewise Inuyasha and Sesshomaru were speaking quietly so much so that he couldn't hear what was being said. He wondered as he watched the brothers, exactly what happened to the half demon male that Kagome had given her heart to, to make it so that she had partitioned her mind and locked a very dear part of herself away. He wasn't given much time to think further when Kagome cried out from the bedroom. Being the closest Inuyasha was there first thinking that the girl had somehow managed to hurt herself, but found her instead just in front of the door holding onto Shizuru for dear life as her first real contraction hit. Shizuru was obviously struggling to hold the much heavier girl up and so carefully he pulled Kagome into his own arms where she clutched his forearm with enough force to break a normal man's bone. Kurama watched until the Kagome relaxed with the passing before stepping in and quickly picking her up bridal style in his arms.

Inuyasha smirked and followed the jealous fox out into the living room. Oh, yes, he thought, today he was going to give the fox hell before everything was all over.

"Shizuru's on the phone with Yusuke, he's at the university already and they're pulling Yukina from her class," Sesshomaru stated when they were all piled in the living room. "How are we to proceed from here?"

"Shizuru rides a motorbike so do you think you could ride with her?" Kurama asked as Kagome wrapped her arms around his neck pulling herself closer.

Sesshomaru nodded looking to his brother as Inuyasha adjusted his kimono, "I know I got the back seat."

Kurama said nothing more but just headed out the door, he would sort things out with the overprotective halfbreed later, right now he was more worried about his mate in his arms. He was careful as he trotted down the stairs not to jar her and cause her more discomfort. He was even careful as he placed her in her seat and pulled her seat belt across her.

"Are you in pain right now?" he asked softly as the others were making their way down the stairs.

"No," she replied with a shake of her head. "I just feel kind of tense, I suppose, but Kurama are you okay?"

He gave her a charming smile, "This is all very sudden for me," he replied honestly. "I don't know if we'll get a chance to talk in the next few hours, but it is something I would like to do with you privately."

"I understand," she nodded, "but for what it's worth I'm sorry."

Confused, he knelt back down beside her with her hand still in his, "What are you so sorry about, Kagome?"

"I'm sorry that you're having a hard time with this," she answered tears beginning to form in her eyes. "I'm sorry for being unable to tell you everything about me, and I'm sorry for your broken hand at the end of the night because I'll be damned before you leave my side, Kurama."

"Leave it to you," he sighed with a smile, "to make light of a serious situation."

She leaned down just as he rose to meet her, sharing a much needed kiss. Their clasped hands were pressed between their chests before they broke apart at the sound of everyone arriving. Hiei nodded to Kurama before disappearing in a blur while Inuyasha pretended to look completely grossed out.

"Don't go startin' on the next litter before she's even had the first, jeez," he said sarcastically.

"Let's go Fido," Shizuru said finally gaining back her composure as she strode over to her motorbike. "I'm sure Yusuke and Yukina are already halfway to the temple, by now."

"Just try not to get us killed on that thing, Butch," Sesshomaru replied dully, following after the tomboyish female.

She smiled sweeping her hair up on top of her head before slipping on her full face helmet and then tossing him the smaller spare that just covered his head. Inuyasha watched in subtle surprise as his brother waited for her to back the bike up and start it before he mounted it behind her with ease. They pulled away with a roar of the powerful engine and was quickly weaving through traffic with ease.

"He really has changed hasn't he?" Inuyasha asked stepping closer to Kagome.

She nodded, "He says it's because he has no one to impress anymore. He just doesn't care and sometimes I'll believe him, but slowly he's starting to act like his old self."

Kurama stood and began walking around the car brushing past Inuyasha, "You'll have to make due in the backseat and I do hope you don't get car sick easily."

"Feh, I'm dead, there's nothing there to get sick," Inuyasha scoffed before getting in the backseat.

A few minutes later saw them pulling up outside the temple with a very green ghost and a Kagome who was very much in pain. Kurama didn't care about Inuyasha as he stumbled out of his backseat, but went straight to Kagome picking her up out of the seat. He even felt the wave of demon energy wash over her as she cried out in pain, but he just pulled her closer as he ran up the stairs using his own demon speed to reach the top where Shizuru was waiting to show them into a room Yukina had set up for Kagome's stay. Sesshomaru stood on the porch with Hiei keeping watch for the man who had attacked her earlier or any other low life demon who would be attracted by the kit's powerful energy.

"How far apart are the contractions?" Yukina asked as soon as Kagome was settled on the low profile bed.

"About fifteen to twenty minutes," Kurama replied as Yukina reached under Kagome's nightgown to feel how dilated she was.

"She's only a few centimeters so unless her contractions speed up we'll be here a while," she replied pulling Kagome's light green dress back down.

"Asshole you drove like that on purpose," Inuyasha commented suddenly materializing in the chair on the side of the bed.

"Ghosts don't have stomachs to get sick with remember?" Kurama replied sitting down in the other chair on the other side of the bed as Yukina left the room.

"What the hell is the problem between you two?!" Kagome demanded pushing herself up into a sitting position still breathing heavily from the latest contraction. "I can't and won't take this right now! So if you two can't get along then, ugh! Ah!" she doubled over clutching her middle as another waive of demon energy washed over her. "Why is this hurting so badly?!"

"Giving birth to halfbreeds ain't easy Kagome, hell, even full blooded demons have a hard time giving birth to their own young," Inuyasha soothed, rubbing her back a worried look on his face.

She groaned fighting to keep herself from screaming and Kurama felt helpless. He watched as Inuyasha placed a comforting hand on her head and gently pushed her back as she fell into a restful sleep. Confused he shot up from his seat and grabbed the dead man by the hand.

"What did you do to her?!" he demanded.

"Chill retard," Inuyasha growled jerking his hand away. "I just put her to sleep, she's going to be in a lot of pain soon enough without your little monsters causing her more. Besides shouldn't you be trying to calm them down or something?"

Kurama frowned but sat on the edge of the bed anyway placing his hands on either side of her belly feeling out the kits aura. Gently he began to soothe them while Inuyasha flopped down in the chair again ungracefully despite his graceful attire. He looked comfortable in his black and white robes, but at the same time the look didn't suit him too well. He looked too sophisticated, too tame, than what his speech and actions portrayed.

"I'm not here for shits and grins, you know," he said after a moment his ears flattening on his head. "I came to talk to you both, but you mostly."

"Really?" Kurama questioned with a raise of his eyebrow. "What would someone like you come out of restful peace to speak to us about?"

Inuyasha growled at the hidden insult in Kurama's words but continued, "I came to tell you about what happened before you came around to Kagome, since Lord knows she can't tell anyone for herself because, well, you saw for yourself what happens."

With the kits settled Kurama sat up and looked at the now almost melancholy halfbreed slouching in his seat.

"I first met Kagome when she was fifteen and just starting high school. She was the reincarnation of my first love Kikyo and though I had a very hard time telling the difference at first, Kagome made sure that I could never mix the two up. Well anyway, I'm sure she told you about the jewel and how she shattered it, right?"

"She didn't, but her surrogate sister, Sango and her husband Miroku told me about much of their travels with you and Kagome, including how they met her, but they didn't mention anything of the final battle with Naraku, nor did they mention your relation to her," Kurama supplied.

"Keh, they didn't know," Inuyasha shrugged. "Kagome and I didn't tell anyone except for Sesshomaru and we didn't even tell him, he figured it out by her scent. Shippo didn't even figure it out because he was too young to understand what that change meant."

"You marked her?" Kurama asked in surprise.

"Hell yeah I marked her!" Inuyasha exclaimed obviously. "But because we didn't actually mate, the mark was only temporary. Kagome was mine before she was ever yours and its to me she'll return, someday. She has to."

"And why would that be? She is more mine now than she ever belonged to you," Kurama shot back just as passionately.

"Because," Inuyasha faltered taking on a defeated expression. "Kagome, was more than just my mate, she was my best friend and the only one who accepted me for who I was despite the horrible things I did to other people and even her. Because of who she is, Kagome will always love me in a way she could never love you," Kurama narrowed his eyes at that arrogant statement, but Inuyasha brushed him off with a wave of his hand. "I'm not braggin' to be braggin' asswipe so chill, I'm just stating fact. Kagome and I are soul mates."

"Why are you telling me all this?" Kurama asked finally shifting on the bed to face him more fully.

"So you understand why she's freaking out the next time it happens," Inuyasha replied flatly. "Fox, look, I don't like you, you don't like me, but listen for a moment and I'll be gone all that much faster."

"I am listening," Kurama countered.

"No you're not," Inuyasha growled sitting up quickly. "You're sitting there being a jealous prick when I'm the one having to watch you everyday loving my mate like I should have and having the children that should have been mine and still treating her like some sort of fucked up possession to be had that will never leave your shelf!"

Kurama recoiled slightly from the harsh, but truthful statement. Kagome was his treasure, but he had been treating her better as of late, however, he should have never treated her wrong in the first place. With a "feh" Inuyasha flopped back into his chair. For a moment they sat in silence, the only real sound being the soft breath from Kagome's lips with the rise and fall of her chest.

"I love her and because I love her I'll help you understand her past so she can be happy," Inuyasha said finally after a moment.


	14. Broken Open

Dawn broke over the peaceful forest softly with warm waves of red and orange. Birds began their day happily singing their praises to the new morning with their cheerful voices. The joyful noise was enough to stir the two sleeping figures on the forest floor, but even they were infected by the lovely atmosphere as they laid half-naked in each others arms. He smiled and she couldn't help but to return the gesture before her lips were captured sensually. Neither of them had ever been so happy as they were laying in the grass and foliage.

"Inuyasha," she breathed, in a breathless whisper when he broke the kiss for air. "We'll have to go back to the others soon."

"Stay here a little longer, Kagome," he pleaded like spoiled pup nuzzling his nose into her neck at the spot where his mark lay claiming her as his soon to be. "I don't want to go back just yet."

"But I'll have to make breakfast for everyone," she protested.

He kissed his mark causing her to groan slightly, "Sango can handle it, I need you right now."

"Inuyasha," she gasped at his open declaration. "Do you mean that?"

"Of course I do stupid," he responded with a snort looking her straight in the eyes. "I wouldn't have marked you if I didn't!"

"I resemble that remark!" she growled with a pout, her normal brain function still not up to par yet.

"Of course you resemble that remark, stupid, that's why I said it!" he retorted with a smart ass grin.

"I didn't say..." she paused and rethought over her previous statement before blushing furiously covering her face with her hand as he laughed.

His laughter was infectious and soon she was giggling with him at her own stupidity. The warm breeze drifted over them as they quieted into comfortable silence. He tucked her head under his chin while she enjoyed the comforting sound of his heartbeat.

"Did you really mean it?" she asked quietly in almost a whisper.

"I'm ain't sayin' it again," he pouted blushing. "I seriously think one of your quacks should make sure your brain ain't broken."

"I love you," she smiled snuggling into his chest again.

"Keh, I love you too wench," he replied softly, kissing the top of her forehead.

Had the two would be lovers known what would transpire that day, they would've taken their time laying in the early morning warmth. She wouldn't have been so embarrassed when she sat up without her shirt in front of him and he wouldn't have blushed innocently at her indecency when they had been around one another long enough to have seen each other naked on several occasions. She would have lingered memorizing every detail of his beautiful eyes and he would have done the same without any hint of their shy and awkward tendencies. Had they but known that by the end of the day one of them would die, perhaps the pain of loss could be avoided, but blissfully unaware they only enjoyed themselves a few minutes more, before moving onto seemingly more important tasks, thinking that forever was right at hand.

Twas true that she indeed bore his mating mark, but without the mating and the infusion of their energies the mark would fade in a short amount of time, leaving her as open to mate as she had been the day before. He wanted nothing more than to take her, but he knew that most matings resulted in a pup and that was a chance he couldn't take right now. Not with Naraku closing in on them for the final battle. He couldn't and wouldn't endanger her and his child like that. He was foolish, but not stupid.

"Kagome!" Shippo squealed jumping into her arms when they entered the hut of their favorite elder, Kaede. "Didjya go home? Didjya bring me candy?! Why do you smell like Inuyasha? Didjya bring me lotsa chocolate?!"

Blushing Kagome looked to Inuyasha for help, but the halfbreed sat against the wall without a word, "Shippo, you shouldn't ask so many questions, it's very rude," she chastised gently. "And yes I brought you chocolate, and a surprise."

The trick worked like a charm, Shippo being busy with his sweet treats and new toy forgot all about her strange scent opting instead to play quietly in the corner out of the way. Truth be told she had come back early only to be met by a frustrated half demon and his angry declaration of love. Sure she would have love a more romantic proposal than, "I love you, you stupid wench so there!" and a small ring that she wore proudly on her left hand being thrust into her face, but if she wanted romance then she would've stayed with Hojo or hell, even Kouga! She knew he must have spoken to her family about it before hand in order to know what a ring meant because in this era it wasn't a common practice, or even a thought in anyone's head for at least another two hundred years when Western culture would be introduced.

Eating her breakfast she and Inuyasha stole glances at one another throughout the morning before she left with her surrogate sister to wash up the dishes, leaving the boys behind discussing strategies of war. They had decided that since they were at a stalemate with the evil Naraku that they would hole up and rest, forcing the vile halfbreed to come to them and fight them on their own turf rather than wandering aimlessly trying to find him. She chatted excitedly about life in her time while they washed the dishes and was so lost in her own euphoria that she didn't even sense the arrival of her favorite demon lord until she saw him on their walk back into the village.

"Lord Sesshomaru," she greeted smiling with an incline of her head, her hands full of dishes.

"Slayer leave," Sesshomaru commanded coldly narrowing his eyes on the priestess before him. "This Sesshomaru will not tell you twice."

Sango looked between her sister and the icy lord before rushing off as he bid her after taking Kagome's share of the dishes carefully. She knew he wouldn't harm Kagome and since he first came around it wasn't unusual for him to speak to her alone about his ward that was currently learning from the elderly Kaede. He turned on his heel sharply stalking off into the woods toward the Goshinboku. She had no choice but to follow him with a sigh silently wondering where her mate was at a time like this.

She didn't have to wonder long as she saw the tell tale blur of red in the trees before she was snatched into a pair of strong arms and taken up on the roots of her beloved ancient tree.

"She's already mine," Inuyasha growled. "You can't change that!"

Sesshomaru merely inclined his head up to set his intimidating gaze on his younger half brother, "Taken without permission of the alpha, whelp, or have you forgotten who is your better?"

"I'll kill you before I let you hurt her!" Inuyasha snarled cracking his knuckles after pushing Kagome safely behind him.

"Why would Sesshomaru want to hurt me?" Kagome questioned placing a hand on Inuyasha's tense shoulders.

When Inuyasha didn't make a move to cease his growling and explain things Sesshomaru summoned his whip and before Inuyasha could react, had it wrapped around his half brothers neck using it to pull the weaker sibling down from his lofty pedestal. Kagome gasped and was quick to scramble back down to the ground where Sesshomaru had quickly restrained Inuyasha in the dirt, but it was Sesshomaru's sharp growl that had her freezing in her tracks before her feet touched the ground.

"Seeing as how this halfbreed can do nothing but give into his base instincts it would appear that this Sesshomaru will have to lower himself to conversing with you in the attempt to wrap your silly human mind over the concepts of demon mating, therefore, listen for this Sesshomaru does not repeat himself," Sesshomaru stated before kicking Inuyasha sharply in the head.

Again Kagome gasped especially when Inuyasha ceased moving, but the crack of Sesshomaru's whip had her hesitating and she glared up at him.

"I'm listening, but you didn't have to go and knock him out, you know?!" she stated loudly. "I could have just subdued him."

"Yes, but this way he cannot interject into the conversation, now can he?" Sesshomaru replied obviously with a slight incline of his head and a raise of his eyebrow.

She pouted as he put away his whip and in a uncharacteristic show of affection he pushed the unconscious dog eared man onto his back before gracefully sitting down next to Kagome on a root just below her so that he could watch her as he explained. He could smell the nervous tension spiking her scent at the show of his more casual nature, which he found to be a good thing. He didn't want her thinking that he was a nice person because he wasn't. Seriously.

"Woman, I am going to be frank with you for once as this is a situation that is most serious more so than your piddly human marriages, however, this conversation never happened and you speak of it to anyone, I will make sure that you no longer have vocal chords with which to slander my name with again," he began meeting her eyes with a serious expression, sitting regally.

She nodded and he continued, "Demons for the most part much like your son Shippo, mate for life, but this is not so with those of my race. We are quite notorious for being philanderers amongst our circles as well as taking on more than one mate. Dog demons are known for having an insatiable libido, but this is not to say that there are those of us such as myself who find this activity to be less than honorable."

"Thank God," Kagome breathed a sigh of relief. "Imagining you as a pervert is a little hard to do."

"I didn't say that I wasn't a male, woman," he replied dully. "I have no doubt that my brother feels the call of his demon blood as exhibited by his indecision between you and your past incarnation, however he does exemplify another redeeming quality of our race which is above all things loyalty. In the case of my father and several others of my race there are times when a male is compelled to settle with one female, but these cases are rare and few in between. This is the first thing you must understand becoming a mate to even a halfbreed. He will be unflinchingly loyal to you and your bed, but he may also be compelled to bed another."

"How is that loyalty to me and my bed?!" she demanded hotly with confusion.

Inwardly Sesshomaru sighed, but outwardly he moved his gaze boredly to the treetops, "Surely you are not unfamiliar with the concept of polygamy?"

"Yeah, but in my time that practice is illegal in many countries, including our own!" Kagome protested further. "I can't imagine why a woman would want to live her life sharing what rightfully should be hers and hers alone!"

His growl stopped her tantrum short though she still glared at him with a frown, crossing her arms over her chest indignantly, "I am stating that this is instinct for him, I will not argue with you on your stance on whether or not polygamy is benificial. I could care less, however the next thing you will need to be aware of is the fact that I am alpha."

He paused as the halfbreed began to stir with a groan though he didn't come to, "Our time grows short, so I will make this very much to the point. If anything happens to him you are to come immediately to me, understand?"

"No, why?" she asked. "Do you mean like with Naraku?"

"If my brother dies you belong to me, woman," he said sternly. "I am the alpha of this family by blood and therefore am honor bound to protect you if he is no longer able. By right I could kill you for his rash actions as he took you without my permission, however, I believe you are good for him."

She smiled arrogantly, "You really do care, don't you?"

"Hn," he said standing up to his full intimidating height. "This conversation never happened, so any conclusions you draw from my statements are null and void."

"Whatever Lord Fluffy pants," she muttered and when he turned to her she flinched throwing her hands up to protect her head. "EEP! This conversation never happened so I never insulted you either remember?!"

"Hn."

"Ow, my head," was the groan from the ground.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome exclaimed moving at an almost inhuman speed to kneel at his side. "Are you okay?"

"I think so," he said groggily before bolting upright. "Where's Sesshomaru?!"

Looking around the clearing they could see that he was obviously gone, but Kagome could sense that he wasn't far. Knowing that he was checking on his loveable ward in the village she just smiled. He would make a great father someday because of that little girl who warmed his heart just a little. She looked at the still furious Inuyasha and smiled. He was already a good father to her son, in a demon like Homer Simpson kind of way. She giggled picturing Inuyasha as Homer with dog ears, but it only earned her a strange look as though she were crazy. Before he could question her she leaned into him pressing her lips to his effectively silencing him as well as driving all coherent thought out of his mind.

Together they set off into the village again, but parted almost as soon as they arrived. Miroku had met them at the outskirts on his way to the market to listen for rumors and he wanted his canine friend to venture with him. Alone Kagome headed to Kaede's hut where she found the old woman speaking with Sango over her newly resurrected brother thanks to Kikyo. Kohaku was slowly becoming a normal boy again and was out playing with Shippo and the other village children, but there were times when he would seem so much older than his age and Sango was worried. Understandably Kagome joined the conversation eager to soothe her sisters worries. Time passed and soon it was afternoon and they busied themselves with preparing lunch.

Inuyasha and Miroku arrived just as Kagome was calling for the boys to come inside, but they never got to settle into their meal. If Kagome had known what would happen she wouldn't have eve dared leave the hut. Later she would cry to herself remembering the look in his eyes when they both felt that evil presence. Later she would scream about the injustice of it all, of never telling him she loved him once more. Later she would die inside.

Naraku descended on the town like the vile spider he was and with the power of the Shikon jewel drew everyone who opposed him into his body. Together the four of them as a team faced him with the welcome addition of Sesshomaru while Naraku stood alone. Knowing that the only way to destroy him was to get his jewel piece they hacked their way inside his body. Careful to not be absorbed they fought their way throughout the maze like body until Kagome reached the core. Alone, separated from her pack she reached desperately for the jewel only to cry out as the lower half of her body was taken from her.

Naraku was absorbing her.

Gritting her teeth in determination she summoned her power with a force that she didn't even know she possessed and reached one last time for the jewel this time her fingertips glancing off the glassy surface, but that was all it needed for her power to work. All around them, even in their different places throughout his body they could hear his agonizing scream. Kagome couldn't help but to smile at the sound even as she was pulled into the expanding power of the jewel.

Naraku was gone. He couldn't hurt anyone any more.

Or so she thought...

She wandered in the jewel, for how long, she didn't know. She wandered until a voice spoke to her. Yes, the voice of Midoriko. Together she trained Kagome, for how long, she didn't care. She all but forgot about the outside world, until another voice called to her desperately. All at once the memories of her life outside the black abyss of the jewel reminded her and she found herself asking why? Why was she being trained like this.

Midoriko laughed.

Midoriko said she was silly.

Midoriko told her she was taking her place.

Kagome cried.

She cried and began at once fighting to get out of the abyss to no avail. Midoriko laughed, the demons laughed, and all she could do was cry. She knew that if Midoriko was being replaced inside the jewel then it was assumable that Naraku would take the demons place as well. A part of her wondered why it was that she hadn't seen him in here since she arrived, but the other part of her didn't care. The other part of her just desperately wanted to return to Inuyasha's side. She didn't care how, but then came the demons. They attacked from every angle, from every possible side and she felt her body torn assunder, yet she did not die. She felt herself torn limb from limb. She felt herself disembowled. She even felt her head removed from her shoulders, but still she did not die and still they did not stop.

She heard his desperate voice calling for her again and at once she began fighting against the hordes. Where once she would have cried, she screamed. She cried out against the injustice that was her fate. She bellowed her fury against the pain that was her reward for saving the innocent. She killed mercilessly her sanity leaving her mind all at once yet still she was completely aware of everything she did. She didn't care so long as she could comfort that broken voice calling her name. She fought and fought and then when all hope seemed lost she found her light at the end of the tunnel.

The ground met her roughly when she appeared in the real world, but she was quick to scramble to her feet, ready to slaughter the next opponent who would dare to take her from her goal. It only took a few more seconds to realize where she was and who was standing in front of her. Beside her the river bubbled happily and around her the crickets chirped, but she wasn't aware of anything until her sanity returned all at once. Tears filled her eyes as she collapsed into his sweet embrace. Sobbing, she was broken her soul no longer as pure as it had once been. He rocked her there on the ground whispering sweet words into her hair kissing her face repeatedly, anything to comfort her.

She would wish later that she hadn't been so self absorbed. She would wish later that she had been more aware, because if she had then perhaps the still glowing jewel nestled in the long grass behind them wouldn't have been able to slip one more incarnation from its endless abyss. Perhaps now she wouldn't have been haunted by that face, that smile, that look.

She felt the sharp appendage cleave into her chest almost as soon as Inuyasha let out the startled grunt before he swiftly pushed her away. She screamed his name as his body was thrown into the air and just like before she felt the pain of the wound that should have killed her but yet she lived as it closed as painfully as it had been rendered. Naraku smiled wickedly as another tentacle quickly swiped Inuyasha's famed sword from his hip before the silver haired man had time to even register what was going on let alone reach for the damn thing.

"Stop! Leave him alone!" she screamed watching helplessly as Naraku made quick work of restraining her mate. "I'm the one you want, right?"

"Kukuku, how noble of you my dear, but we don't have to go back just yet, you know," Naraku chuckled running the tip of a tenticle down the side of Inuyasha's face.

"Stay the fuck away from her you bastard," Inuyasha cursed, growling.

"We could even stay like this, you know, free and immortal," Naraku suggested driving the tenticle that had cut Inuyasha's face into his shoulder when his struggling became too troublesome.

Inuyasha cried out and Kagome screamed, "Stop! Stop! I don't care! I'll do whatever you want but don't hurt him."

"Kagome no!" Inuyasha protested.

"Anything?" Naraku questioned suggestively his red eyes appraising her body appreciatively.

She hesitated looking down at Inuyasha wrapped up in Naraku's clutches, even as Naraku reached out and used one of his groutesqe appendages to break Inuyasha's left leg causing him to cry out again.

"Just please stop!" she cried out scrambling to her feet.

"Or you'll what, priestess?" Naraku teased. "Kill me? I doubt that."

She felt her sanity slipping again especially when Inuyasha began to transform to his full demon state. Naraku was prepared for that and before the transformation was complete he skeward the would be full mindless full demon. She stood still even as her mate was thrown into a tree and effectively crucified before her eyes. Azure met crimson and finally she moved. Finally she called out to her powers and using all that Midoriko had taught her she fought one last time to free herself. Finally she destroyed him, but not before he destroyed her heart.

He threw Inuyasha's mangled body at her in an attempt to distract her but she wouldn't have it. She wasn't in the right frame of mind to care. She ducked and kept up her onslaught of spiritual arrows taking the dispicable halfbreed apart piece by piece. Slowly she came to realize that he wasn't dying just like she wasn't and then she knew that she needed to control the jewel. If she could control that then all would be well. He would be forced to return to the darkness as her pure powers would overwhelm their new imprisonment. She knew if she made a move for the small marble between them that he would most definitely try to kill her, but she didn't care. She didn't think about anything except driving him away from herself and her love.

Diving for the jewel she grasped it waiting for the pain she knew would be coming except it never came. Before pushing her powers into the bobble clutched in her small fist she rolled over to see what had prevented her unlikely slaughter.

Her breath stilled in her chest.

Her eyes widened as warm blood dripped onto her porcelain face.

Naraku laughed and ripped his blood soaked appendage from Inuyasha's now lifeless form.

As his body dropped onto her she pushed as much power as she could pour out from her frozen self into her hand and by proxy the jewel, but it was already too late. Inuyasha was gone. The hole in the back of his head made sure of that now. Just as the hole in her sanity would make sure she would never be the same.

* * *

"After that she was in a coma for nearly three weeks until Sesshomaru found the jewel and laid it to rest with her," Inuyasha finished quietly. "You'll have to talk to him about everything else because at that point my spirit had to move on and I wasn't able to watch over her for a while."

Kurama was still sitting beside his mate with her small hand clutched in his own staring down sadly at her face, "Why would you come here to tell me all this?"

"Because that asshole you're going against is Naraku's own flesh and blood and just the sight of that fucker is enough to push her already fragile sanity over the edge," Inuyasha replied roughly. "She doesn't act like it, but she's more fragile now than she has ever been and until that little bastard is dead she's going to be vunerable. I don't want to see her like that again."

He paused and leaned forward, "If you thought her little episode earlier was something it wasn't. She'll die from the madness trapped inside of her from that damn jewel, but she'll take much more with her than just her own life. So I'm telling you now, take care of her. I don't want to see her on the other side with me until her time has come and that ain't for a while yet."

"I'll protect her with my life," Kurama vowed brushing her bangs back gently as she slowly began to stir again.

"You better fox," Inuyasha scoffed.

The silence was almost deafening until Kurama's curiosity got the better of him, "So is she still immortal?"

"No, but according to her file up top her lifespan has been extended considerably," Inuyasha sighed. "So you don't have to worry about her human lifespan at least. Her immortality stopped when she wished the jewel away for you and she knew that."

"Why would she give up immortality like that?" Kurama questioned absentmindedly.

"Because despite it all she loves you, moron," Inuyasha huffed. "As much as I hate to admit it, you're everything I couldn't be for her. I wasn't romantic or openly affectionate, hell I wasn't even nice most of the time and she still loved me.

"You were right about one thing and that is she's more yours now than she ever was mine and that sucks balls, you know?" he sighed. "But as long as she's happy, I don't care about all that. I could give a rats ass about anything so long as she was happy."

"I can understand that feeling," Kurama smiled as Kagome grunted in her sleep, likely from another contraction. "She's a strange woman, completely in a league all her own."

"No shit," Inuyasha snorted. "She'll keep ya in line, let me tell ya!"

For the first time since their meeting the two shared a laugh at the sleeping girls expense and it was to that she awoke from the pain of her contraction. She grimaced and sat back up lethargically.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"Nothing, we were just talking dear," Kurama soothed rubbing her belly. "Did you sleep all right?"

"How the hell did I get to sleep?" she questioned before thinking about it and glaring at the chair that a certain ghost had been sitting moments before. "INUYASHA! SIT BOY!"

There was a loud cry of surprise from outside quickly followed by a resounding thud. Apparently, Kagome's powers were a match for even death.


	15. Kuu

"Ugh! Does labor always take this long?!" Kagome asked frustrated as she paced back and forth the length of her room while Kurama sat calmly in his chair reading a book.

"Kagome you know as well as I do that labor can last so long as 24 hours in some cases, so I think you being already dilated to a six in two hours is moving along nicely," Kurama replied not even looking up from his book.

"You're not the one being dilated ass- OH!" she groaned and was quick to brace herself against the wall as another contraction passed. "I could have had a normal life! I could have married a nice normal boy! I could have had a nice normal pregnancy complete with lots of pain killing drugs, but no! No I had to fall for a demon, didn't I?"

In the doorway Inuyasha snickered, "You always seemed to love what was worst for you."

"Shut up, now is not the time to lecture me on my taste in men," Kagome growled glaring over at her shoulder at him. "Why the hell are you here anyway?"

"I came to see you, but if you don't want me around then I'll just leave wench!" he replied sarcastically knowing she was speaking out of pain.

"That's not what I meant asshole and you know it!" she snapped.

"I know what you meant," he grumbled. "I just don't want to talk about it."

She sighed as she resumed her pacing, "Would it make you feel better if Kurama wasn't around?"

"Yes," he pouted pitifully.

Kurama looked up from his book with a halfhearted glare at the ghost, "I'll be just down the hall if you need me, Kagome."

"Yeah, yeah," she replied as she waved him off still grumbling about having demon babies. "Just be happy I'm not one of those women who blame the man for everything, you perverted jerk."

"I love you too dear," was his half sarcastic reply as he walked out of the room.

She watched him leave with a sad look on her face realizing that he was probably upset at her still. With a despondent sigh she hobbled her way to her bed and tiredly laid down again this time on her side. Inuyasha watched her before following her after shutting the door behind him.

"You know I'm here for a reason, right?" he asked moving to sit in the chair Kurama had just been occupying moments beforehand.

She sighed and looked into his eyes with an inner pain he hadn't seen in here since Naraku, "I knew they wouldn't be sending you in physical form unless it were important."

"It is," he nodded grimly. "Sango sends her love, though and Miroku said to tell you to keep that lecher in line."

"Coming from the biggest lecher I know that's _so_ commanding," she snorted. "What's going on, Inuyasha?"

He sighed and began with reluctance, "To be honest, I don't know," he said. "I've been watching over you and your family for years now and I don't know why all of a sudden this has happened or what's going to happen from here on."

"What do you mean?" Kagome asked a very worried expression on her face.

"Kagome, the twins are going to be pretty special," he answered cryptically. "They're not going to be halfbreeds like me."

"That's not so bad," Kagome said taken slightly aback. "Why would heaven send you just to tell me that?"

"There's more to it," he growled, glaring at her for interupting again. "Katsuro knows you're pregnant and he also knows that the pups are going to be born differently. About three hundred years ago a powerful psychic had a premonition about them that basically said they would create balance between demons and humans."

"But I thought that a certain balance has already been created here by Spirit World," she stated still slightly lost.

"This balance is fragile and soon there's going to be a great war that Spirit World, especially in its fragile state with the recent change in power from King Enma to his son, won't be able to handle. Just like back in our day, there are still demons who want nothing less than world domination and have been sitting in Makai doing nothing but bidding their time," he explained before another contraction hit.

Kagome cringed and grasped his hand breathing in short breaths through the pain that paled in comparison to the pain she endured in the jewel, being dismembered on a constant basis. Inuyasha couldn't help but feel a pain grip his own heart. Because he was in a physical form, he was in a physical mindset, and he couldn't help but to feel regret. He couldn't help but feel somehow on a life that he fought so hard to have in the first place. Granted he knew what was happening was set into motion even before his own conception, but here on Earth, there was nothing stopping the dark feelings that couldn't grow in Heaven from taking root in his very human mind.

"So what exactly are you saying Inuyasha?" Kagome gasped out still squeezing his hand for deal life as he leaned on her bed.

"I'm saying that because of this stupid prophecy Katsuro is coming to kill you and the pups," Inuyasha blurted looking her straight in the face. "He's already tried today and he's going to try again under the guise of revenge. Really he could care less about Naraku, he just wants to be able to take over the world once things goes to the shits, but he's not the only one and he's not even the most powerful one."

"So what?" she said breathlessly, leaning back onto her pillows. "I didn't expect things to be sunshine and daisies when I got back her, especially with having what I thought was going to be just one halfbreed child and my outlook certainly didn't change when I found out I was having twins. Fighting has become a way of life for me and the day that I stop will be the day I die."

"You don't know how right you are," Inuyasha muttered his ears flattening on his head unhappily. "Kagome, I wish you would take this seriously!"

"I am!" she half shouted back pinning him with her famous death glare. "Don't think that I'm not scared for my family or that I somehow think that this is all a joke! I'm not stupid I understand what's at stake here and there's nothing I can do about it!" she said before letting out a low groan. "Go get Yukina please, something isn't right and hurry."

Inuyasha nodded and bolted from his chair. Opening the door with a loud clack he realized that he didn't know his way around this temple at all nor did he even know where to find this Yukina chick so he did the next best thing he could think of knowing Kurama wouldn't be far from his mate.

"Kurama! Get the damn midwife!" he called looking up and down either side of the hall.

Behind him Kagome cried out a frustrated sounding growl shoving herself up into a straighter sitting position. Inuyasha didn't wait to see if Kurama heard him or not in his slightly panicked stated before he rushed back to Kagome's side. She couldn't help but think that perhaps the pain she had experienced before wasn't as painful as she thought as she could feel her instincts calling for her to push before her midwife was even in the room. A light sheen of sweat formed on her body as she did her best to breath through the pain that was ripping through her body not only from the contractions but from the energy that was attacking her. She had to fight to keep control of her own powers from reacting and attacking the panicking kits back. Inuyasha kind of paced beside her bed as though unsure of whether he should go hunt down the midwife himself or hold the obviously distressed Kagome. Luckily he didn't have to wait much longer as both Yukina and Kurama rushed into the room.

He could only back away and watch as Kurama, soothed his mate, sitting beside her and holding her shoulders while Yukina took her place between Kagome's legs. Almost immediately Yukina gave the command to push as Kagome's mother entered the room as well, taking what had been his spot at her other side. She was quick to set her purse down in the now vacant chair not even noticing the physical ghost on the wall, having just arrived with her mind focused solely on the birth of her granddaughters. The last to arrive in the room was Keiko and Botan both there as assistants to Yukina.

For the first time Kurama in front of anyone but the woman in his arms, let his worry show through as he brushed his fingers through Kagome's hair every so often, whispering encouragements into her ear. One arm wrapped around her shaking shoulders while the other alternated between her hair and rubbing the arm that had grown attached to his pant leg, gripping the fabric for dear life he felt reality closing in on him desperately fast. Here he was, a 19 year old in human form about to be a father to twins. He was scared, he was excited, he was slightly dizzy at the first sign of blood.

Kagome did beautifully in her mother's opinion and she was strongly reminded of her late husband every time she glanced at Kurama throughout the whole process as she periodically dabbed at Kagome's forehead with a cool washcloth. Kagome on the other hand was seriously considering adoption after this and as she pushed, she cried. Most would think she was crying because of the pain of birth, but really she was crying for pain of her children. She knew that no matter what, they would never have a normal life. No matter what life would be hard on them because of her. No matter if they were full demon or not, the fact stood that she wasn't and never would be, her immortality from the jewel aside and demons would be able to know that. What Inuyasha had told her moments before only further served to complicate things as well as dash any hope she had previously held for their break from her own life of fighting and bloodshed.

"Kagome you did beautifully," her mother appraised happily when all was said and done. "I'm so proud of you."

Kagome smiled but didn't say anything. She didn't feel proud. Truth be told the moment had turned bittersweet for her. Her children, her little girls who she could see had already captured their fathers heart, were going to be great someday, but as she already knew from personal experience with great power comes great responsibility. To have the fate of the world on your shoulders was a terrible burden that she had unknowingly bequeathed to her daughters.

* * *

A/N:

Holy crap! Two things I've found I cannot function properly without: a properly working keyboard and the internet at least certainly not at the same time.

This chapter is one I've been wanting to write for so long that now that it's all said and done it makes me a little sad. The song that really set the theme and stimulated my muse for this actually didn't have any words to it. It's called Kuu and is by a really amazing Japanese artist, Kitaro. If you like traditional music with a modern twist he's the one to go for along with the Yoshida Brothers. AH-may-ZING~!

If I had to dedicate this chapter to anyone I think it would have to be Cherry-Blossom-Love, not just because she did the same for me, but because just talking to another person about my passion for writing really gave me the determination to see this project through. Don't get me wrong, I love each and everyone of my faithful reviewers and each time I look at that review count as it grows and grows I feel my own self confidence as a writer swelling with it. Let's all just hope that it all just doesn't go to my head!

Thanks for all your love and support and I'll see y'all in the next book: Bedtime Prayers.

Love Always,

Serenity Draco


	16. I'm Already There

The evening fell upon the shrine grounds calmly like the quiet before the storm. Everyone knew something big was coming, but right now no one seemed to mind. For now everyone was focused on the two new lives laying in the arms of their father and grandmother in the main room. In the other room their mother laid in bed comfortably resting for the few hours after their birth.

"Did you and Kagome ever decide on names?" Botan asked quietly sitting next to Kurama.

"We did actually," Kurama nodded. "Hanako and Haruko, but I'm afraid we never decided what name went with what child."

"Hanako and Haruko, those are pretty names, but is Haruko Haru as in spring or sunlight?"

"Sun," he smiled adjusting the silver haired little girl in his arm. "Kagome liked the play on characters to resemble my name when we mated."

"You mean married right?" Mrs. Higurashi asked with an upraised eyebrow. "Like I told Kagome, I really don't care for that other terminology."

"Demon terms do tend to sound a bit more primitive, but after a while you really don't notice it anymore," Keiko said warmly. "I think demons still have terms like that only because they're simply more forward than we are."

"Hn, humans spend far too much time dancing around with words," Hiei scoffed from his spot next to her.

With everyone occupied in their newly sparked debate as a few of the humans of the group began defending themselves Inuyasha took the opprotunity to slip away. Quietly he slipped into the new room they had put Kagome in with the bigger bed and more space for her and the twins. Her eyes fluttered open the moment he had shut the door and she smiled at him. Returning the gesture he moved and climbed into bed with her, staying over the covers out of respect to her new mate.

"I miss you," she said after a few moments of comfortable silence as they entwined their hands together. "I thought my life was over when the jewel took you away from me."

"I was with you the whole time, wench," Inuyasha scoffed with a roll of his eyes. "You would have gone insane without me."

"I know... I'm still pretty messed up actually," she replied moving closer to him. "Just seeing Katsuro again..."

He sighed when she trailed off wrapping his arms around her as she snuggled into his surprisingly warm chest, "Kagome, what happened to me wasn't your fault, you gotta let go of that."

"It was though, Inuyasha! I shouldn't have been so careless! I should have realized that if I escaped then Naraku could too and if I had then you wouldn't be dead!" she cried.

"Everything happens for a reason, Kaogme, including us," he replied desperately. "I know you can't see it now, but your children someday are going to bring a balance to the world that you and I only dreamed of. If I had lived then Hanako and Haruko would never had been born, demon world would over run the human world, and history would just repeat itself only this time everything would be blown to smitherines and the decimated spirit world wouldn't be there to take care of the souls of the entire world."

"That doesn't make it fair to us!" Kagome sobbed. "I miss you everyday, and everyday hurts just as bad as the first. I love Kurama, but not as much as I loved you!"

"Loved! You said it yourself, _loved!_ You loved me Kagome, don't you see?" he protested rising up on his side. "I'm dead and aside from this random and freak occurrence I'm not coming back! I can't love you like he can! I can't give you all the things he can and even if I was alive I could never be what he is to you now! Kagome, your brain is seriously broken if you can't even see that!"

"But!"

"But nothing, wench! Life sucks, I know! I grew up with it sucking, I lived with it sucking, and guess what? When I died, it _SUCKED_! But you know, for all that sucking that I went through, someone else got to get off easily!" he fumed shaking her shoulder gently. "I love you and until you come back to me I'll keep on loving you and watching you live out life for me, but you gotta live, Kags!"

"I'm trying! But I just don't know what to do sometimes!" she cried as she sat up to level with him. "You don't know what it was like in that damn jewel, being torn apart and still living then when I had found you and thought I was finally free to enjoy my happily ever after I get to watch you start to suffer the same god damned fate as I did!"

"Kagome, I was there! I saw and felt everything you went through!" he growled back. "I know exactly how you feel, but none of this is your fault! You'll get your happy ever after just so long as you don't go insane before then!"

She sat up hotly, "Go insane?" she demanded. "How the hell am I not supposed to go insane after all the things I've seen and done? Inuyasha, I'm not a demon I don't have your stomach or your iron mind to just accept the things we did and move on, especially considering everything concerning the jewel has been my fault! I shattered it! I couldn't fully destroy Naraku! I couldn't save anyone!"

A loud slap echoed in the room, hard enough to move Kagome's head to the side. Slowly she turned her now pale face back to the dog eared man who had just hit her. He was mad with his hand still raised, but the look in his eyes said more than anger. His golden eyes spoke of the hurt he felt.

"Would you listen to yourself?" he snarled. "You saved the fucking world! You lived and loved and shouldn't that be all that matters? You're a mother now! Mother to a set of twins who will someday finish what you started 500 years ago!"

He sighed and ran a hand through his bangs, "Kagome without you I doubt I would have ever made it to heaven and yeah, being apart sucks, but when I'm up there I don't feel it. I know someday we'll get another chance because we're soulmates, but until then I want you to be as happy as you can be. The only thing that can hurt me in heaven is watching you not living the life you've been given to its fullest!

"I'm not saying forget the past, or what you've been through, I'm saying be a bit more like me and just let it make you stronger instead of letting it bring you down. Kagome, we've both done a lot of things we're not proud of, but we've never let it stop us before! So what the hell is your problem now?"

"It's just..." she trailed off as she pushed herself to sit up fully. "When you took my place in the jewel I only stayed as strong as I did because you were there with me. Everything was okay and we lived just fine, but when Youko started coming around I started to realize that I wanted to be more than just fine. I wanted someone to hold me, to love me, to have a family with me, and Youko... he was perfect. He was everything you weren't and you told me it was okay that you wanted me happy..."

"Do you think you're somehow betraying me Kagome?" he asked quietly causing her to look up at him shyly and nod. He sighed and grabbed her, bringing her in close to him, "Kagome, do you love me?"

"Of course I do!" she replied hotly popping her head up to look at him.

He smiled and pushed her head back to his chest as he began running his hand through her hair, "Do you love him? Kurama?"

She took a bit longer to reply quietly, "Yes."

"When he holds you like this what do you fall asleep listening to?"

"His heartbeat," she answered beginning to get a bit confused at where he was leading to.

"And what do you hear now?" he asked knowingly.

She paused and listened but heard nothing against his chest, "Nothing, there's no heartbeat..."

"Exactly," he grinned pulling her up to face him. "I'm dead, Kags, and there ain't no bringing me back, but you got a guy in there willing to give you the moon and the stars if only you'd let him. Yeah, he's like any man and he's got his flaws, but that doesn't mean that he's not a good guy. Let go of the past and quit dwelling on the things you can't change. Focus on what you can do now like, raising those beautiful little girls in there and loving a your damn good mate."

She sniffled and smiled up at him, "You really think he's good for me?"

"Keh, not as good as me, but better than that stupid wolf," Inuyasha muttered looking away and blushing lightly. "No one's as good as me and don't you forget it, wench."

"Never," she sighed falling into his arms as they laid back down on the bed comfortably. "I love you Inuyasha."

"I love you too, Kagome," he said holding her as closely as he dared in her fragile post birth state.

"When did you get to be so wise?" she asked jokingly.

"About the same time you started acting so dumb I guess," he responded dully. "It was either I come down here and talk some sense into ya, or Sango was going to beat it into you."

"So is Shippo there with you all?" she asked curiously. "Koenma told me he was killed protecting his family."

"If he made it up there, then I haven't come across him," Inuyasha said thoughtfully.

"Oh..."

It didn't take long for her exhaustion to get the better of her, but as she fell into a restful sleep she felt the darkness of her mind begin to lift slowly. She knew it was going to take a lot of work on her part to get it to lift completely, but some how she knew that with the new pack she had formed around her and especially with her loving mate everything was going to be just fine...

.:~*~:.

"You're leaving."

The statement was firm and left no room for question, though for Sesshomaru to be stating the obvious was a bit odd. Inuyasha stopped at the top of the stairs into the shrine grounds where the stoic ex-lord was keeping watch and took a deep breath of air.

"Yup."

"Your mate will not have another episode like today I trust?"

"Probably not."

The awkward silence reigned between them for quite some time as Inuyasha waited to see how long it would take for his brother to become irritated. Though during the last few years of life Kagome had caused the two sibling to get along better, Sesshomaru never could really stand Inuyasha for long periods of time.

"Brother was there something else?" Sesshomaru asked finally.

"I'm waitin' for it," Inuyasha smirked bouncing on the balls of his feet.

"Hn."

Inuyasha continued to bounce on his feet while Sesshomaru began ignoring the whelp. The sun was setting beautifully across the horizon. The dark forest was contrasting with the bright oranges and reds of the burning sun while the puffy clouds drifting across the darkening sky were like wads of pink and purple cotton candy. Sesshomaru was content to study the sunset he had once taken for granted until Inuyasha began humming a rather annoying tune.

"Pray tell, what are you waiting for dear brother?" Sesshomaru asked finally with an air of indifference.

"I promised a friend something," Inuyasha answered cryptically. "And there it is, right on time."

Sesshomaru was about to say more when below them, through the trees they could see the evening bus pull up and stop. Inuyasha smiled when a young woman stepped off, looking rather out of place and slightly confused. Sesshomaru turned to ask Inuyasha about it but the ghost was gone. Surely he hadn't been waiting on one small girl and he began to question things further in his mind when the small woman began climbing the mountain of stairs with determination. He heard Yusuke walk out to join him and relieve him of watch, but he stood watching the girl feeling something familiar about her prescience but it wasn't until she looked up and noticed him that he started to piece the puzzle pieces together. Swiftly he began descending the stairs towards her and she stopped to catch her breath but when she looked up and saw him coming towards her she couldn't hold back her excitement any more.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" she declared running to him and jumping into his arms.

"Rin," he breathed burying his nose into her hair, her scent even smelling almost the same.

"Oh, I've missed you so much!" she cried her arms around his neck. "I was starting to believe I was never going to find you again!"

"How are you here?" he asked holding onto her desperately. "How did you find me?"

She wriggled out of his grasp, standing just over two feet shorter than his seven foot stature, but her smile was still as radiant as ever, "There was an outbreak of insects from the demon world that when they bit me unlocked my latent psychic abilities and with them most of my memories of you! I knew the moment you came back into the human world that I needed to find you, but try explaining that to my over protective parents and well lets just say they weren't too enthusiastic."

"Rin," was all he could say looking up and down her near mirror image to her teenage body of 500 years ago.

"Yes, Lord Sesshomaru?" she smiled tearfully.

"How much do you remember?" he asked after he had cleared his throat and stepped away from her.

He worried that being as young as she looked this lifetime that she didn't remember exactly how deep their relationship ran. After all it wasn't until she was in her early thirties before he had taken her. Now here she stood just barely over five feet tall, wearing a bright pink t-shirt advertising some pop band, a pair of jeans on her legs and a pair of clean white tennis shoes on her feet. Her hair wasn't pulled to the side as it normally was nor was it straight. Instead her chocolate brown locks were curled carefully and trailing down her back from the low pony she had pulled it into leaving only her short bangs to frame her face. She put a well manicured finger to her lightly painted lips thoughtfully as though it took a lot for her to sift through her fuzzy memories.

"Hm, well I remember you saving me from those mangy wolves, I remember a mouthy toad and following you around a lot across Japan," she nodded before looking up at him expectantly.

"Is that all, Rin?" he asked uncertainly.

"Uh, yeah, that's about it," she smiled. "Why? Is there something you wanted me to remember in particular, my lord?"

It was as he feared. She didn't remember. She had stopped calling him _lord_ months before they actually became mates. If she remembered she wouldn't be calling him lord now, but he smiled at her just the same. So long as he had his Rin, nothing else mattered.

"It is not yet your time to know," he nodded determinedly. "Come there are others I would like you to meet."

"Oh, okay," she giggled watching him walk up a few stairs ahead of her. He froze when he felt her walk up behind him and rub the sensitive spot just above the base of his tail on his back, "Perhaps you had hoped I remembered how much this spot excites you, or perhaps," she said lowly moving and trailing her hand around his side under his own loose fitting tee, "you had hoped I remembered how it was that _I _a mere human _woman_ could bring a great taiyoukai," she said reaching up and pulling him down to her level where she pushed his lips onto her own plush and teenage ones, "like you to your knees?" she finished breathlessly and he realized that during the kiss he had indeed lowered himself to his knees before her.

"I remember everything, Sesshomaru and though I might look like a teenager again, I hope you won't make me wait until my human life is nearly over before you decide to take me for your mate you over analytical iceberg," she smiled warmly.

"I love you," he simply replied before pressing his lips back onto hers.

"Whoo! Sesshomaru's caught himself a piece of jail bait now!" Yusuke hollared down to them.

Sesshomaru took a lesson from the pages of modern humans and instead of breaking the kiss to retort or going and maiming the insolent boy, he just easily lifted one hand showing a single finger that said everything for him.

* * *

HOLY GUACAMOLE BATMAN!

Did it really take me this long to update? Jeebz, I'm such a horrible person!

Well, anyway, instead of giving ya'll a laundry list of excuses and reasons why I've been away for so long I'm just going to simply say, life got in the way and as important as writing is to me it takes a back seat to my family. :) Hopefully ya'll can understand that, but if not then... well you're probably Hiei in disguise.

I'm not going to promise I'll be updating regularly again as life is still throwing me nasty curveballs, but what I can promise is that I will finish this and Gravity and everything else I've started but haven't posted! It's shaping up to be a great year and if my horoscope is right I'm going to have more time to devote to writing soon!

Love Always,

Serenity


	17. Kiss Me Goodnight

"Well everyone is finally settled in for the night including the new parents and their children," Yukina sighed happily as she sat down on the top of the stairs to the shrine.

"Yeah?" Yusuke mused politely. "That's nice I guess."

She watched from the corner of her eye as he twisted his hands between his knees anxiously. The quiet between them was awkward at best and Yukina didn't like it one bit. Yusuke was normally very relaxed and free with her, but tonight something seemed like it was bothering him and she had an hunch she knew exactly what it was.

Earlier in the night after everyone had settled in after dinner and before Sesshomaru's life mate had made her appearance Kuwabara was moved by the sight of Kurama happy with his daughters that he had finally proposed to the small ice maiden. She was surprised, though she shouldn't have been, everyone knew it was going to happen sooner or later, but she hadn't thought he would do it so soon. So of course she hadn't said no, but she hadn't exactly agreed either. Yusuke had pretended to be happy for them, but she could see he wasn't. He was just as... well... she didn't know what they were. Sure, they had been spending more time with one another lately and yeah, she would be the first to admit she enjoyed his company, but he hadn't really shown a real romantic interest in her.

"So, you gonna be a blushing bride here soon, huh?" Yusuke asked after a few minutes.

She shrugged and leaned back on her hands, "That's what everyone expects, I suppose," she replied easily.

"Yeah, but everyone expected Keiko and I to stay together too," he chuckled nudging her with his elbow. "So what're you gonna do? You say no and you'll break the poor kid's heart."

"Say yes, and I'll be breaking my own," she muttered turning her head away from him sadly.

"Is there someone else you like, Yukina?" he asked hopefully turning towards her slightly. She still didn't look at him but she nodded, "Someone at school?" he asked and she shook her head as he leaned back thoughtfully. "Hm, someone I know?" he asked watching her carefully. She nodded and he heard her sniffle, "And it's not Kuwabara?" he asked confused but she nodded again. "It is a guy right?"

She laughed even as a tear slid from her face, "Yeah," she admitted freely catching the little gem before it fell into her lap. "You're really stupid sometimes, Yusuke."

"What?" he chuckled sitting back up. "If it's not Kuwabara and since Kurama is already taken that really only leaves Hiei," he paused for a moment thinking before he shot up ramrod straight at that line of thought. "You're not in love with Hiei are you?" he demanded worriedly.

"I'm in love with you idiot!" she snapped angrily rising to her feet.

He gaped at her like a fish out of water, "Yukina, I... I didn't know..."

"How could you not?" she growled for once showing a bit of her demon nature. "I've been trying to show you, but apparently I have to beat it into you moron!"

With that she fell on him pounding on his head with her tiny fists causing him to roll on his back laughing at her futile attempt to hurt him. After a few moments when she was straddling his waist and he finally got a hold of her small wrists. His chocolate eye were locked with her own scarlet orbs as he held her small and fragile feeling wrists in his much larger and calloused hands. Slowly he raised his hands above his head as his tongue slipped out of his lips to wet them in anticipation while her face was slowly lowered towards his own. She didn't protest or move to stop him as their faces came inches apart and suddenly he crossed the line and kissed her, his best friends girl.

They were startled out of their happy revelations by the loud sound of a fist meeting the heavy wooden doors nearby. Both of them snapped their heads up to see a certain carrot top of a man with his fist buried into the heavy wooden door. They were quick to scramble to their feet both of them afraid, but Kuwabara didn't say anything he just turned and walked back inside.

"Kazuma wait!" Yukina called beginning to go after her dear friend, but a large hand on her shoulder stopped her.

She looked up at him with her wide doe like eyes, but he shook his head, "He's not going to want anyone around for a bit, least of all us," he said still staring at the dark spot where Kuwabara had disappeared into.

He was right, Kuwabara was furious. He had always been upfront and open about his undying love for Yukina, so why wasn't it good enough for her? She was a princess! He treated her like the goddess she deserved to be treated like and what did Urameshi do? He made fun of her! He picked on her all the time and she loved _him?_ What the hell?

"Kuwabara, is everything all right?" a soft maternal voice called to him as he stalked his way back down the hall towards his room, completely missing the open door to the gardens.

Still fuming he turned on his heel about ready to let whoever it was have it but when his eyes landed on a slightly startled Kagome holding her smallest infant, the silver haired Haruko he just couldn't let loose on her. He closed his open mouth ready for yelling, lowered his upraised hand ready for punching, and let his shoulders slump in defeat as he shuffled his way to the confused priestess. She was slightly startled as he flopped down heavily beside her before letting himself fall onto her shoulder. Blushing she tried to shift away from him only to have him land in her lap just seconds before he burst into tears.

"Jeez, I get one baby to sleep only to have another one plopped in my lap!" she groaned relaxing only slightly to awkwardly pat Kuwabara on the head. "Though I suppose with twins I should get used to it," she muttered more to herself than anyone else. "What happened?" she sighed.

"Yu-Yu-Yukina," he blubbered, letting out all his emotions across her yoga pants.

"Shh, calm down and talk to me Kazuma," Kagome soothed running her hand over his mess of carrot colored locks. "What about Yukina?"

"She wants that moron Urameshi!" he cried angrily sitting up with his nose running. Frustrated he wiped it away on his sleeve, "I give her everything and when I walk outside I see her all over him like making out and shit! She's never even kissed me!"

"Kazuma," Kagome tried to begin but he continued his tirade.

"You know, you think you know a guy and then BAM!" he exploded slamming his fist into his hand startling the baby. "Next thing you know he's sucking your girlfriends face off and behind your back no less the bastard!"

"Kuwabara!" Kagome hissed kicking him as she folded her legs as her newborn daughter began crying again. "I just got her to sleep again you jerk!"

"Oh, sorry," Kuwabara admonished shyly.

It took a few moments before Haruko quieted again so they could talk, "Kazuma, I know you think the world of Yukina, but I've been in her spot before. It's hard for a girl, especially a really shy girl like Yukina," she smiled thinking about her own teenage years when she first fell in love. "When I first met Inuyasha I was just as shy as she was, well," she paused thoughtfully, "okay almost as shy since she did come from a place without men, but still, my point is that while I had not one but two boys who wanted to give me the moon, but really I only wanted the one boy who treated me like crap most of the time."

"Kurama treated you like crap?" Kuwabara asked confused. "Or was it that dog man who was here earlier?"

"His name was Inuyasha and yes he was my first mate," Kagome admitted for the first time to anyone other than Kurama. "I was head over heels for him and it was mostly because he didn't put me on a pedestal or treat me any differently just because he liked me. I loved him treating me for me, because either world I lived in I just didn't fit in so I didn't want to be ostracized further by the ones who were supposed to love me."

"What about Kurama? He treats you pretty special," he pointed out obviously.

She laughed lightly, "Now he does, but do you honestly see the fearsome Youko being sweet on a girl five hundred years ago especially a priestess of the growing village that would one day be Tokyo?"

"No," he chuckled with her. "I guess not. So he picked on you and was mean to you and stuff?"

"Mean to me? No, he was never mean to me," she laughed a bit harder. "He was a complete asshole!"

"Now, I don't think I was that bad," Kurama said stepping out onto the porch with them, a whimpering dark haired babe resting on his shoulder. Kagome looked up at him with a smile and a knowing expression, "I couldn't help but over hear that you've been having relationship issues, Kuwabara is that right?"

"Um, yeah," Kuwabara said despondently. "Yukina is apparently in love with Urameshi and I caught them kissing outside."

"While that isn't the best way to be let down, you haven't exactly allowed for Yukina to let you down easy either," Kurama said as he and Kagome traded girls between their arms.

"What do you mean?" Kuwabara asked dumbfounded. "She's never said nothin'!"

Kurama leveled him with a look that clearly said he knew Kuwabara wasn't that dumb, "You should know Yukina well enough that the last thing she wants to do is hurt a person. If she would have said outright that she didn't feel for you the way you wanted her to, you would have been very upset."

"I think really you need to sit down and talk to her," Kagome said seriously. "But you're going to actually have to listen to her."

"I do listen!" Kuwabara protested hotly.

"She means the female version of listening, baby bro," Shizuru yawned as she too, made her way outside for a midnight smoke. "Not the half assed male version of listening you guys like to use."

"Is the whole temple awake?" Kagome wondered aloud.

"No, Zuki and Sesshomaru are still out like lights, though I don't see how he sleeps through that awful snoring," Shizuru said shuffling past everyone in her housecoat so she didn't smoke around the kids.

"Some things will never change," Kagome giggled, before getting up and excusing herself to feed her whimpering daughter.

"So Yukina and Yusuke finally got together, I suppose?" Shizuru asked watching her brother carefully from the corner of her eye.

"Was I the only one who didn't know?" Kuwabara demanded loudly.

Shizuru shrugged, "It wasn't exactly well hidden. He pushed her out of her shell while you were content to leave her in it."

"Well I for one, am not going to sit here and listen to everyone tell me how badly I screwed up, thanks," Kuwabara grumbled, clamoring to his feet and stalking away back to his room.

Shizuru sighed and lit her cigarette. When once the garden had been filled with people only moments before, now it looked as though she was the only one left. As she sat upon a large rock in the middle of the sand garden she thought about how tough it was going to be for her little brother to get over the emotional trauma of losing his first love. It didn't help that he had lost her to his best friend, but she knew he was smart and eventually he would figure out that love isn't always fair to any of those involved. Just like love hadn't been fair to Kagome and Inuyasha. Sure she had over heard a lot of the conversation Kagome had shared with the half demon ghost and she couldn't help feeling sad for the past couple, but she had to wonder if Kagome had loved Inuyasha so much, where did that leave Kurama?

Little did she know, that in a room down the hall a certain red head was wondering the same thing as he and his mate laid his newborn daughters to bed. Hanako had been fussy but it didn't take much to for her mother to settle her back down, what with a little warm milk and a few soothing words and the dark haired child was asleep once more as Kagome placed her back into the bassinet next to her fair haired sister. He watched her with careful green eyes as she climbed up next to him in the bed and nuzzled herself in their warm blankets. Her own eyes caught his staring at her and she raised an eyebrow in response.

"Kurama, what's wrong? You've been acting awfully strange all day," Kagome smiled relaxing on her pillows, but still facing him.

"I would think that given the events of today, I would have a right to be just a little off," Kurama smiled warmly.

"Yeah, a little, but not like this," she frowned. "Are you upset that I never told you about Inuyasha?"

He shook his head, drawing his knees up to rest his arms over them in a lazy way, "At first, yes I was, after all I had always been open and honest about my relations prior to mating you. I felt cheated, as though you had lied to me," she started to interrupt but he quieted her with a serious look, "until I talked with Hiei who had unbeknownst to you during your mental breakdown somehow connected with your mind."

"What do you mean?" she asked sitting up straighter. "Like he saw all my memories?"

"He didn't tell me anything, really," Kurama defended, drawing his lips into a thin line. "He only said that in comparison to his own past with the memories he relived with you that as a human you had every right to keep certain things from me. Then it was Inuyasha who explained everything in detail, how he had marked you without mating and how it was that you and he were destined to be together, but that really only left me to wonder, where does that leave me in the equation?"

She deflated against the pillows again looking at him slightly surprised, "What? Do you think that I don't love you? Is that what you're asking?"

He didn't say anything, his expression still grim and she did the worst thing a woman possibly could have done in such a situation. She laughed. Right in front of him. He let out a deep breath and began to slid out of the bed, but her small hand on his firm bicep stopped him. Her eyes were still dancing and a smile was still lighting up her face as she looked up at him. She knew that because he was a demon trapped in human form she was going to have to placate both sides of his personality, so she began with the easiest. Without words she pulled him back to the bed, pushing him down into the pillows her blue eyes never leaving his own until her lips pressed to his. She pushed every ounce of love she felt for the kitsune into the kiss as she trailed her hand down from his arm and entwined her small fingers into his larger ones.

"Kurama," she began when they broke for air. "I love you, maybe not in the same way as I loved Inuyasha, but I loved you enough to become your mate, give birth to your children, and even wait for you to sort through adjusting to being human with me. To me, you're everything that Inuyasha never could be and it was because of you that I was able to pull myself together after everything happened with the jewel, Naraku, and even when I was forced back here to the present.

"I chose you, Kurama, not anyone else to be my first, my last, and my everything," she smiled. "Please just understand that talking about my past was too painful to endure. In fact I'm pretty sure it will always be a bit to painful to really relive, but when I'm with you the pain is just that much more bearable and I feel like I have a chance at happiness for the first time in a very very, long time."

"But I'll always be your second choice won't I?" he asked reaching up and pushing her raven hair back over her shoulder.

She sighed and rolled off of him to settle at his side before she answered, "Yes and no. Inuyasha will always have a place in my heart, but that doesn't mean you don't have a place either. After all I've seen and done, I can't agree with the theory that we have only one true love out there for us. I think that you and I were meant to happen just as much as Inuyasha and I were.

"It's like the love I have for him is pure and innocent, but the love with you," she began tracing patterns on his bare chest, "is more mature. It's a wild and explicit because we've both been in love before. We both know what we're getting into and it's easier to be more open with you because you understand me. You know right where I'm coming from or at least I would like to think that you do anyway."

He smiled lightly, "I believe I know you better than you think, Kagome."

"Oh good then you know right about now-" 

"You just want to cuddle up and sleep?" he finished smartly.

"Exactly!" she grinned.

Together hands entwined they curled up in the rather large bed, knowing without a shadow of a doubt that together with hands entwined is how they were going to stay. Tomorrow may not be a given, but they were certainly going to take whatever they could get. They came together broken and bruised, but like can heal like and together they would mend one another.

"I love you," he whispered in her ear, brushing her soft hair away from her face.

Nuzzling into his shoulder, "I love you too, Youko."


End file.
